Dankrupt

First, you have to be OK with the band name Dankrupt. (It was not until a recent hazy night in Echo Park that I learned it is not just a terrible pun but a slang term, sorry for being out of touch.) Then you have to be OK with videos featuring rock bands faux-playing in the squalor of the Salton Sea. And most importantly, you have to be OK with the fact that reggae rock is still a thing. Still with me? then meet Dankrupt — singer-guitarist Grant Bogorad, guitarist Enrique Paris, bassist Nick Banaszak, singer-keyboardist Derek Shields and drummer Tim Canton. They are, simply, the New Age Sublime. The L.A. quintet is releasing its “Moonlight” EP on March 13, and the song “Ghost of You” is just about Everything You’d Ever Want. There’s the drop. There’s a rap verse, courtesy of Johnny Love. There’s a pop chorus. And at 3:43 there’s a shreddy guitar solo that, unless the ears are failing me, is preceded by a swell of strings. Holy mother of Marley. Director Adam Tyree’s video piles it on too, featuring actors Stuart Campbell* and Marina Bruzadin. Just don’t pay attention to Shields’ fingers too much. - Buzzbands.la

Los Angeles, CA Reggae-Rock group Dankrupt has a new music video for their single “Ghost of You”. It features Johnny Love and the song will be included in a upcoming EP they plan to release titled Moonlight. Enjoy the song & video… - The Pier Magazine

With their diverse musical backgrounds and hard-edge sound, the Los Angeles County band Dankrupt, set their sites extremely high with their debut EP titled Moonlight, which hit digital shelves last week on March 13th, 2015. Dankrupt, in their own words, “is not just a dream, but a way of life that can be shared and spread to anyone willing to take part in the experience.“ The band, which consists of Grant Bogorad (vocals, guitar), Tim Canton (drummer), Enrique Paris (lead guitar), Nick Banaszak (bass), and Derek Shields (keys,vocals) have put together a solidly unique new release. Notes of Latin, funk, ska, hip hop as well as obvious hints from their influences Sublime, 311, Jack Johnson and Iration can all be heard distinctly throughout their latest EP.

Most artists today in modern music will fall flat on their faces without the aid of synths, overly produced tracks and reverb that is layered on way too thick. Dankrupt’s execution on Moonlight carries a certain finesse that is unquestionably eye-opening and very much appreciated. The raw instrumentals throughout the five track EP carries a lush tone with an underscore of numerous musical directions, making for very unexpected and exciting impressions.

A perfect illustration would be the opening track “Ghost Of You” where the song guides you through gently with certain expectations, but then lays down a nice reggae undertone which leads you to a hip hop-esque sequence of lyrics. From there, near the tail end of the track, Dankrupt makes a hard right turn into a sea of intense guitar riffs along with an expansive wailing solo. A tip of the hat to 311? Maybe.

Another fine example of their smooth and unexpected transitions can be found on the title track "Moonlight." Dankrupt does a fine job of tethering various genres together seamlessly. The ominous intro combined with the delicate notes from the keyboard along with the hard hitting bass guitar make for a beautifully and impressively composed track.

When asked what we should be expecting from Dankrupt this year, vocalist Grant Bogorad responded, "2015 has been an eye opening year for us. Our goal is to play and grow as much as possible, while spreading our spontaneous musical vibrations to the masses. We are traveling all over Southern California on our Spring Tour promoting the new Moonlight EP. We just recorded a live studio video of our single, "Fly Through the Clouds" coming later this year and we’ll be producing one more music video supporting the Moonlight EP very soon. Right now is the time to put our heads down and get to work. You will be seeing a lot more Dankrupt in this Cali Reggae scene!!"

It’s going to be an exciting year for Dankrupt, so make sure to give them a visit on their website and a follow on Facebook. - Top Shelf Reggae

New EP “Moonlight” out March 13th - No Cover Magazine

La banda californiana de reggae-rock Dankrupt, del guitarrista venezolano Enrique Márquez París, estrenó el videoclip de su primer sencillo Ghost of you.

El audiovisual fue rodado en la ciudad fantasma de Salton City, con los miembros de la agrupación como protagonistas: Grant Bogorad (voz y guitarra), Tim Canton (batería), Nick Banaszak (bajo), Derek Shields (teclado y coros), y el propio Márquez, exintengrante de las grupos 1era edición y Fauna Crepuscular.

"El video fue una de las experiencias mas interesantes que hemos tenido como banda", cuenta el músico venezolano, único latino de la formación fundada en 2013. "Ese poblado fue abandonada en la época de los 80 por sucesos exraños, los peces empezaron a aparecer muertos en la orilla de la playa. Sus habitantes, dejaron atrás todas sus pertencias e inmuebles, ya que no tenían ningún tipo de valor monetario en el mercado. Está habitada por muy pocas personas".

"La canción trata de un fantasma o, mejor dicho, trata de aquella persona que en algún momento formó parte de nuestras vidas y que ya no está, pero que de vez en cuando nos sigue abordando el pensamiento con recuerdos de lo que alguna vez fue y que deseas dejar atrás para siempre (cómo relaciones amorosas, familiares y amistades que por una razón u otra terminan abruptamente). Que mejor locación que un pueblo fantasma para hacerle honor al título de la canción", concluye Márquez París. - El Universal (Venezuela)

Te presentamos a Dankrupt, la banda que podría ser tu siguiente gran favorita. Con sus versiones alternativas de reggae son como una mezcla de las mejores vibras de Sublime y el pop contagioso de MAGIC!. Arriba puedes escuchar “Ghost of You”, canción con la que los conocimos y nos atraparon. Y si te gustan prepárate porque el próximo 15 de marzo van a lanzar un nuevo EP. Puedes conocer más del grupo en su página oficial. - Lifeboxset.com (Mexico)

Enrique Marquez Paris llevó desde Venezuela, su país natal, a Los Angeles los ritmos tropicales que se conjugaron con las palabras del idioma de Shakespeare y desembocó en un proyecto musical llamado Dankrupt. La banda fue reconocida por la Music Connection Magazine como una de las mejores 100 bandas independientes del 203 y 2014.

El 13 de marzo pasado publicaron su EP Moonlight, del que se desprende la canción “Ghost of You“, que tiene un videoclip que logra capturar el espíritu californiano y la vibra veraniega entre montañas. Ideal para los que le gusta el reggae y el jamming. - Indiehoy.com (Argentina)

Ésta es la oportunidad para poder conocer una nueva versión del reggae…

Al haber mezclado bases del género con sonidos caribeños, una cierta referencia al rock y unas líricas que están muy salpicadas de hip hop.

Esta banda venezolana, actualmente reside en Los Ángeles, lo cual está muy presente en su esencia musical, y ésta es una gran canción que seguramente después de escucharla querrás tenerla en tu playlist. - Bava (Mexico)

Almost exactly one year ago, the Los Angeles County band Dankrupt released their debut EP titled Moonlight which had notes of Latin, funk, ska, hip hop as well as obvious hints from their influences Sublime, 311, Jack Johnson and Iration can all be heard distinctly.

In their most recent single titled Dos Toros, the band sways harder on the rock side of their influences. The album maintains a masterful tension between upbeat emotional melodies and heartfelt lyrics reminiscent of The Expendables, Red Hot Chili Peppers and even Incubus. Opening track "Falling" showcases melodious bass, vocals and guitars that dive and soar as impressively as ever, while the next track "Playing Around" has everything dialed in and cranked up to 11.

Dos Toros is a confident, strong release from Dankrupt, featuring some of the band’s most impressive productions wrapped around a timeless package. - Top Shelf Reggae