DNA 6 - Nov/Dec 2008
DNA6
Music, like life, is in a constant state of evolution. New people bring new influences, new ideas, new concepts to the table. Vancouver’s DNA6 is a case in point.
Bandmembers Alex Maher (vocals, sax, guitar, percussion, beatbox), MC Dosia (vocals) and M. Prime (vocals and guitar) describe themselves as essentially a hip-hop/rap act and while there’s no question that that’s where their centre of musical gravity lies, they have also infused their music with elements of classic pop music, jazz, funk, and blues.
They cite The Beatles, A Tribe Called Quest, Sade, Miles Davis, D’Angelo, Talib Kweli, and Elliott Smith among their influences, and if you listen closely, you can hear almost all of them at play at some point.
Having read who they were influenced by, I expected their music to be interesting. Just how interesting I didn’t realize until I heard material like “Megalodon,” “Why Can’t I Sleep,” “All The Things You Do,” and “All Up To Me.”
The music comes across as intelligent, imaginative, and highly inventive with sweet grooves, well-conceived melody lines, great rhymes, most of which are positive and upbeat in their orientation, and solid production values.
The three core members of DNA6 have been together just four years, but two members of the band, Alex and Mario, have been playing together more than 10 years, first in high school jazz bands, later in the band Flannel Jimmy. They met bandmate MC Dosia at a freestyle show in 2003 and formed this band the next year.
If you go out to see DNA6 live expect a full stage. For live shows it tops up the roster with bass player David Spidel, drummer/keyboard player Chad Taylor, and either Ryan Stewart, Tim Proznic, or Brendan McLean on drums.
At this point, DNA6’s fan base is primarily in western Canada, but expect that to change as more people get a taste of what it has to offer.
And that’s happening.
Some of the larger shows to date have included the World Freestyle Ski Championship, New Music West, Crankworx in Whistler, and the Vancouver Folk Fest. DNA6 songs have also been licensed for several film projects including a mountain biking video Seasons and the feature film That One Night.
Listen to DNA 6’s Signs
