Dustin Edge

New York City based singer/songwriter Dustin Edge has paid his musical dues. The Louisville, Kentucky native cut his teeth in the Indie Rock scene before forming bluegrass outfit Cast Iron Filter in the early Aughts. Edge’s solo debut CD, A Forest Through The Trees, is the aural picture of an artist struggling to find his voice. Edge bounces from alternative rock to dance to esoteric in-betweens without an ounce of remorse of trepidation. The result is a varied, occasionally discomfiting, and ultimately rewarding listening experience.

Edge opens up with "Luminosity" in a vibrant, rhythmic arrangement built around a memorable vocal line and stirring harmonies. "Video Motion" is an urgent, driven song with new wave energy and guitar work that sounds like Adrian Belew sat in. After establishing his pop/rock credentials, Edge turns to the dance floor with songs such as "The Ideal Citizen" and "Hey Take It Easy Pal." One of Edge’s more unique and interesting songs is "Shrieks Of Apathy." This can be best described as controlled musical madness. It’s a driven rocker with a beat that lends itself to clubs. One other intriguing track, "Psychocoustic," mixes atypical song construction with stunning harmonies to really stand apart from the rest of the album.

Dustin Edge practices musical self-discovery on A Forest Through The Trees, jumping from rock stage to club scene and back several times. There are moments where the two sides of Dustin Edge come together in glorious pop/rock madness, but more often than not the two faces of Edge tolerate one another. In time, Edge will either fuse these two musical personalities into something greater than the sum of their parts or struggle through the distinct disparity just to create. In the meantime, the dichotomy is a fun and rewarding listen.
- Indie-Music.com

New York-based singer-songwriter Dustin Edge returns in 2010 with his sophomore album, By The Numbers. The Louisville, KY native had moved to the Czech Republic in 2006 to teach, but stumbled into a weekly gig at a local hostel. This experience awakened Edge’s love of performing, and he quickly moved back to the US to pursue his muse. By The Numbers has sort of a geek-cool sensibility to it, with Edge writing about life using mathematical and scientific concepts as allegories for life’s experiences.

By The Numbers opens with "The Golden Ration", a delirious, high-speed lyrical assault in a catchy arrangement you simply cannot ignore. The title references a mathematical concept studied since Ancient Greek times and occasionally regarded as a divine number or attribute. The Golden Ration is considered an aesthetically pleasing and has been used in visual art since the Renaissance. "Weights And Measures" is another high-speed ramble with lyrics delivered in rapid-fire style over a funk-rock arrangement. Dustin Edge's composition is compact, enjoyable and highly danceable. "Human Or Machine" finds Dustin Edge taking his foot off the pedal and grabbing a bit of magic in a highly marketable, appealing tune. "Easy As Pi" is a brief acoustic guitar diversion that sets up the ethereal Electronica of "Primes". This is a pretty composition that inspires phrases like "Space Age" and "Ambience". Fans of Bill Laswell and Pete Namlook might find something to like here.

Dustin Edge gets in enough theoretical references on By The Numbers to engage a team of theoretical physicists. Luckily the music is a bit more accessible; although it seems likely Dustin Edge didn't come into By The Numbers with a clear vision or direction. Nevertheless it's an enjoyable side-trip that should keep fan guessing about where he'll head next.
- Wildy's World

You know what they say: location, location, location. Dustin Edge has taken inspiration from locales that range from Kentucky, to New York, to Prague, to create his latest EP, Calm. The EP represents a culmination of his travels, and a clear focus in creating a sound that places him amongst the ranks of the most skillful singer/songwriters. After two prior releases, Calm finds Edge turning to a solo acoustic effort, and offers an easily accessible experience for fans of the indie folk scene.

Edge grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, where he played in various punk bands until beginning to incorporate sounds more rooted in the bluegrass spectrum during his college years. He moved to New York in 2008, and the vibrant energy of the city inspired his first solo album, A Forest Through The Trees, under his own moniker. The delightful full-band texture infused elements of pop, indie, and even took a few cues from his experimentation with bluegrass. In 2010, By The Numbers kept the momentum going strong after Edge went overseas to Prague, and transposed his new inspiration into an eclectic, up-tempo collection.

Calm was recorded in Brooklyn and takes a sharp contrast to his previous works. The sound is often hushed, smooth, and represents the kind of simple happiness that many seek to find amidst the rushed energy of New York. The five songs on Calm showcase a Nick Drake/Bert Jansch-inspired acoustic folk style that carries musical poise and vocal tranquility similar to Joshua Radin or Philip Selway. Edge describes the EP as being “laden with ruminations on the search for contentment among tumultuous times.” “New York City can be a beast,” he says, but the songs come across with utter clarity and composure.
- Pop Culture Madness

College Radio has embraced Dustin Edge’s Calm EP. This past week, the album was Top 20 most added at the CMJ charts. A tremendous feat for the Boulder musician who just self-released the album Calm.

Dustin was officially added at 17 different stations across the country in one week, marking a truly fantastic start by the sentimental folk troubadour who’s winning over the hearts of music tastemakers everywhere.

Winter is here but there’s no need to face the cold alone, listen to Dustin Edge and remain Calm.
- Harmony Central

4 out of 5 stars
For an artist who just moved from Brooklyn’s frenetic artist enclave of Williamsburg to Boulder, Colo., it’s no wonder that Dustin Edge named his Colorado debut The Calm EP. The album was actually recorded in Brooklyn, but it’s pretty clear that mentally, Edge was already here when he wrote this collection of contemplative, folk-rock tracks.
- Marquee Magazine

Considering all the Denver musicians who have moved to New York lately, it's refreshing to see someone do the reverse. New Yorker Dustin Edge relocated to Boulder a few months ago, and the songwriter is already releasing a new EP. Unlike Edge's previous releases — the post-punk-leaning A Forest Through the Trees and By the Numbers — the five songs on Calm form a hearty stew of spooky balladry and woodsy rock only slightly diluted by overly smooth vocals (not to mention a really bad funky-hoedown rap in "Dig Down"). Granted, Edge's abrupt 180 from urban hipness to rustic warmth raises questions about his commitment to his new sound — and may even make listeners wonder if he switched to a rootsy style because he thought that we backcountry Coloradans only listen to music that twangs. No matter: It's mostly a pretty twang, regardless of where it comes from. - Westword

Singer-songwriter Dustin Edge has taken inspiration from disparate locales that range from Kentucky to New York to Prague to create his latest EP, Calm. The EP represents a culmination of his travels, and a clear focus in creating a sound that places him amongst the ranks of the most skillful singer/songwriters. After two prior releases, Calm finds Edge turning to a solo acoustic effort, and offers an easily accessible experience for fans of the indie folk scene. It's a lilting, beautiful collection of songs and I felt a little blue when listening to the title track.

Let me share it's spare, haunting beauty with you. Check out "Calm" here. I know, know. I am generous. I hope you like the song enough to support Dustin Edge.

Here's a little background info on the man who made the sad song you just enjoyed: Edge grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, where he played in various punk bands until beginning to incorporate sounds more rooted in the bluegrass spectrum during his college years. He moved to New York in 2008, and the vibrant energy of the city inspired his first solo album, A Forest Through the Trees, under his own moniker.

Calm was recorded in Brooklyn and takes a sharp contrast to his previous works. The sound is often hushed, smooth, and represents the kind of simple happiness that many seek to find amidst the rushed energy of New York. The five songs on Calm showcase a Nick Drake/Bert Jansch-inspired acoustic folk style that carries musical poise and vocal tranquility similar to Joshua Radin or Philip Selway. Edge describes the EP as being "laden with ruminations on the search for contentment among tumultuous times." "New York City can be a beast," he says, but the songs come across with utter clarity and composure.

I commute in NYC every day, so I get it. It's nice to have something that's the polar opposite of NYC's energy on the iPod. It makes me relax and breathe out, so I recommend Dustin Edge's Calm to all Big Apple dwellers.

Check out "Calm" and you will not be disappointed. - Artist Direct