It’s the late nineties. Brisbane high school mates Dave (drums), Jon and Chris (both guitar) lay the foundations of Dakuta with a regular jam in the garage. The sound is initially heavy. The hair is long. But after a while the heavy metal gives way for a softer tone. Partly because of the neighbours, preventing the band from turning their amps up too much, guys start to use acoustic guitars and bongo drums as opposed to the full kit. Furthermore, a broader range of music catches their ears, with artists like Ben Harper and Morcheeba. Alltogether the sound of Dakuta evolves into a more mellow feel.
Today the band Dakuta consists of five members: the original threesome, Cliff (bass) joining in 2001 and female vocalist (and definite eye-catcher) Angela completing the band in 2003. Angela..s diverse vocals drive dakuta..s unique sound combining acoustic & electric guitars, crisp bass and drums which include elements of both funk and trip hop, tribal percussion, classic rock & more. A heritage of Australian history and being exposed to a diversity of musical styles. Angela: “I remember growing up among this different mix of cultures in my group of friends. At birthday parties you would find yourself learning to play didgeridoo at one time, and belly dancing to Arab music at the other. A real advantage, if you ask me. We don’t feel any limitations when it comes to writing our music.â€
Shortly after the band’s completion, Dakuta released their self titled EP featuring tracks played nationally on major radio stations Triple J (with Dakuta being their unearthed feature artists in 2004), Triple M, and local & community stations around Australia. Followed by their second award winning EP ‘The Drum’ in 2006. Angela’s vocal performance on the track Pulp Phunky earned her the award for Best Female Singer Songwriter in the 2006 LA Music Awards. The same track also won the Rhythm and Blues Q-Song award 2006 (Queensland, Australia). Recently Dakuta were wild card finalists in the V Festival’s Garage 2 V competition 2008.
‘Shock’ is Dakuta’s newest musical piece, released early April 2008. The sound is slightly different from Dakuta’s previous work. Chris: “A little more mellow. I would say there’s been subtle influence from some artists such as Sarah Blasko and Art of Fighting.†Previous influences, including Portishead, Ozomatli, Gomez, Radiohead, The Tea Party, Morcheeba, Lamb and DJ Shadow are still present as well. The latest release will be followed by a second EP in the other half of 2008, together introducing the band’s first full-length album due at the end of the year. The long awaited LP is expected to have a storyline based around the format of 1940’s crime films like D.O.A and a Touch of Evil.
Ang - Vocals, Dave - Drums, Chris - Guitar, Cliff - Bass, Jon - Guitar
