SPOTLIGHT: Dakota Jones Release New Funk Single “Misbehave Me” and Announce Upcoming Album
A BALANCE BETWEEN STYLE AND SUBSTANCE — can be difficult to strike. Nostalgia is a blink away from tacky, and vintage only a step away from outdated. New York funk band Dakota Jones impressively walks this line, finding the exact balance between retro references and modern funk-pop on their new single, “Misbehave Me.”
“It always feels so good to put out new music,” lead singer Tristan Carter-Jones says.
Dakota Jones’ third single release this year, “Misbehave Me” reintroduces listeners to the group’s entirely funk driven sound. The band took inspiration from both the originators of the genre and more modern funk–inspired musicians to create the sound for the single.
“Scott, our bassist and executive producer for this whole project, was working on a track that was inspired by two songs: ‘Peaches,’ by Justin Bieber, and ‘Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away,’ by Stevie Wonder,” Carter-Jones says.
The instrumentation on the song explodes with a funky bassline and hypnotic drum beat, elevated by an upbeat yet sultry vocal from Carter-Jones. After completing a rough version of the instrumental track, the duo put the full song together in a matter of days.
“He showed me the track, and it wasn’t very long after that I started writing lyrics for it,” Carter-Jones explains. “I remember them coming out nearly immediately. It’s my favorite when that happens — when things just flow, no over-thinking involved; when you just make space for something else to work through you.”
The song successfully blends the ’70s funk vibe with modern lyrical sensibilities. This combination allows the song to feel nostalgic but never outdated or like an impression. This modernized nostalgia can be felt in the music video as well
“We really wanted this video to reflect the joy, the sexiness, the warmth, the fun that lives within this song,” Carter-Jones describes. “We shot it at a place in Brooklyn called All Night Skate — probably my favorite place in the neighborhood.”
The video features Carter-Jones singing and dancing around the vintage diner in colorful outfits as the band plays around her. Saturated in pinks and oranges, with glittery disco lighting, the video marks a shift out of the black and white palette that the band had for their first two releases this year.
“The main goal was to keep it sexy, keep it funky, and make it look like the song sounds,” Tristan adds.
With this year continuing to be an exciting one for the band, the singer looks forward to what the group has coming up later this year.
“You’re the first person I’ve said this to, but yeah an album is coming — very soon,” Carter-Jones says. “It’s the piece of work that I think we’re the most proud of — ever. I’m beyond excited to let it out into the world. “
After multiple single releases and an upcoming album release, for Carter-Jones, the best part is that the band is succeeding together in connecting with people all around the world.
“I’m getting a little emotional just thinking about it,” she explains. “It just means so much to me, and to us, that we get to make music and share music. And that people are feeling what we’re doing. It means so much to me that we get to grow together, as a band, and that we get to chase our dreams together. Nothing like it in the world.”
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