REVIEWS
March 16, 2025
THE SOUNDS WON'T STOP (USA): 'New and Notable'
We’re still buzzing from the vibe of Under The Effect, especially after hearing the lead single, "Kinda Hard To Find." This track has been getting all sorts of praise, and for good reason. It’s like a tidal wave of sound—expansive, gritty, and full of energy. There’s a perfect blend of shoegaze’s dreamy, atmospheric qualities and heavy rock’s raw power. We wormed our way through every distortion-laden riff and experimental twist, and it’s clear that this track, and the whole EP, isn’t just about the music—it’s about the feeling it evokes.
What’s amazing about "Kinda Hard To Find" is how it balances all that heaviness with a surprising catchiness. There are moments where you find yourself humming along to those melodies, almost like they sneak up on you between the layers of noise. The beauty of is that each time we come back, there’s something else to unearth, some new angle or subtle detail we missed before.
The way the guitar tones shift, how the rhythm section holds it all down while the rest of the sound swirls and morphs around it—every listen feels like an exploration in a way, which is very fun.
Even with all the sonic chaos, there’s a thread of vulnerability that runs through the lyrics and delivery.
Overall, "Kinda Hard To Find" is a perfect representation of what DKandle is capable of—blending genres, and pushing some heavy rock boundaries.
Listen for yourself and find out!
March 2, 2025
RAGMAG (USA): 'A Beautifully Heavy EP from DKANDLE'
"Kinda Hard To Find" is an absolutely massive track, especially with the sonically driving guitar tones that breed in engulfing and invasive tonality.
This is part of the staple sound of the band. I love it because, again, they blend together this heavy sort of grunge feel along with that vast undertone that you get from shoegaze, and the vocals add to the vastness as they're smooth and distant, drenched in reverb and adding a different layer and texture to the track itself. There's also a clean guitar that gives a riff overlaying some of the heavier guitars, so you have those layers as well breeding a bigger atmosphere altogether.
This was a fun track and when it gets super heavy, that fat, thick, fuzz tone distortion sound really takes over and wraps itself around you keeping you right where it wants to. I love the fact that you can get engulfed in a song like this because of that shoegaze element. It feels big and expansive. What's cool is that under all of this, you have some vocal hooks, and the chorus of the song is a big part of what sticks in your brain for a long time after the song has ended.
Another track is called "Here and Now", which is a song that also breeds some of that staple feel I mentioned earlier. It is vast and expansive but with a heavy tonality that reminds you of bands from the underground '90s alternative rock scene.One of the aspects I love about this track is that it breaks down into softer sections that act almost like the calm before the storm.
Both of these tracks are released on an EP called "Under the Effect". The tracks boast a beautiful blend of color and edginess, which is something you don't get often, so when it comes along, it's quite refreshing.
You can tell these songs come from and band with a real love for their craft, and when I say that I don't just mean playing instruments or singing, I mean writing songs together that create a unique and particular atmosphere that you can fall right into and be engulfed by. Once you're in these atmospheres, you don't really want to leave. These are songs I suggest you listen to because if you're a fan of grunge or shoegaze, you're going to fall in love with these right away.
The third track is called "The Heart Knows" which takes you into a world all its own. These guys nailed the aesthetic they were going for and did so with a powerful approach that showed all the different sides to how they build songs.
Listening to these loud or with headphones on is the best way to go. Again, these songs have layers and depth to them so that the vastness in the underbelly of the tracks is best picked up surrounded by the tones.
Listening with headphones or loudly in a car can give you the right kind of space to soak these songs in the way they were meant to be.
Check out all of these tracks out and keep your eye out for DKANDLE.
HEAT WAVES (UK): 'Ones To Watch', by Margot More
Few bands manage to craft an atmosphere as arresting as DKANDLE, and their single, “Kinda Hard to Find,” is proof of their mastery. The Florence-based trio, known for blending shoegaze’s dreamlike textures with the raw edge of grunge and post-punk, delivers a track that pulls listeners into its hypnotic depths from the very first note.
Built on waves of reverb-soaked guitars and a rhythm section that pulses like a heartbeat beneath the haze, “Kinda Hard to Find” feels both expansive and deeply intimate. Denis Kandle’s vocals emerge like a spectral presence, floating between melancholy and defiance, never fully settling in one emotional space. His delivery is understated yet magnetic, allowing the song’s instrumental layers to breathe while amplifying its haunting undertones.
The production on “Kinda Hard to Find” is a masterclass in controlled chaos. DKANDLE plays with dynamics masterfully, letting the track swell and recede like an ebbing tide. One moment, shimmering guitar arpeggios shimmer like distant city lights; the next, a wall of distortion crashes in, leaving a ghostly resonance in its wake. It’s this push-and-pull that makes the single so gripping—balancing fragility with sheer sonic force.
Featured on “Aspirin Age Volume Four: A Shoegaze Compilation” by Broken Sound Tapes, this release marks an evocative introduction to their upcoming EP “Under The Effect“. DKANDLE’s ability to meld introspection with immersive soundscapes ensures “Kinda Hard to Find” lingers long after its final note—a haunting echo in the mind’s ear.
BORED CITY (UK): 'Fresh Finds'
DKANDLE’s latest single, “Kinda Hard To Find” is an interesting experience that captures the delicate emotions of missed connections. The Italian band, known for their dreamy shoegaze vibes, doesn’t disappoint with this track. It’s a mix of haunting vocals, memorable lyrics and a soundscape that feels both nostalgic and modern.
From the very first note, the guitars stand out, they’re lush, detailed and filled with emotion. Paired with powerful drums and Denis Kandle’s ghosty vocals, the song creates an atmosphere that pulls you in completely. The lyrics dive into that bittersweet feeling of wondering “what if?” about fleeting encounters, making it relatable for anyone who’s ever hesitated in a moment of connection. The creative and layered production gives the track a polished yet raw feel. It’s clear that DKANDLE is a band with a lot of talent and a unique vision. If this single is any indication, their upcoming EP, “Under The Effect” promises to be something special.
It’s one of those songs that lingers in your mind long after it’s over. The blend of shoegaze and post-punk elements feels fresh and full of depth. This track is perfect for late-night listening when you’re lost in thought. DKANDLE is a band to watch and we’re excited to see what they do next. So if you’re into music that’s both immersive and meaningful, make sure to check this one out. And don’t forget to follow DKANDLE for updates, they’re clearly on the rise.
RIGHT CHORD MUSIC (UK): 'New Music'
Known for their genre-blending sound that draws from post-punk, shoegaze, and dream pop, DKANDLE also stands out for their emotionally rich storytelling.
What began as Denis’ solo project in 2021 eventually transformed into a powerful trio with the addition of Gene and Stefano. A major milestone for the band came on October 10th, when DKANDLE played their debut live show in London at The Next Stars (Engine Rooms). This performance gave fans a chance to experience the band’s engaging sound firsthand, helping to expand their fanbase.
DKANDLE aren’t one to rest on their laurels. Instead, they’re offering the first single from their upcoming EP with Kinda Hard to Find. The track centres around the concept of someone being truly irreplaceable—an individual so unique that their absence creates a deep sense of longing. It also explores the emotional turmoil that arises when important words remain unspoken.
Despite what its theme might indicate, Kinda Hard to Find is far from a typical love ballad or a dull romance song. Instead, it delivers a hard-hitting shoegaze track with distorted guitars, powerful drumming, and warming, almost ASMR-like vocals that are as intense as they are hypnotic.
“Kinda Hard to Find is a well-balanced track, both striking and soothingly alluring.”
Last Day Deaf (Greece): 'Tributes'
A transcendent shoegaze delight, [Hanging Out In Stars] immerses listeners in a dreamlike haze of ethereal guitars and pulsating rhythms, weaving an intricate tapestry of sound. Through introspective vocals that echo with raw emotion, DKANDLE paints a poetic landscape of feelings, inviting all to traverse the cosmic expanse of his musical universe. A mesmerizing journey awaits, fueled by unbridled passion and sonic reverie.
WL//WH (Italy): 'Video of the Day', by Catherine Gillette
The Tuscany, Italy-based, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil-native multi-instrumentalist and composer Denis Kandle,a.k.a. Dkandle weaves swirling multi-colored vibrant unearthly soundscapes, blending fuzzy and reverberating Shoegaze textures, mesmerizing Dream Pop meditations, sludgy Grungey tones and moody Post-punk strains, heightened with soul-stirring lyricism and pensive emotive vocalizations.
Post-Shoegaze single ‘Hanging Out In Stars’ immerses listeners in a dreamlike haze of ethereal guitars, pulsating rhythms, and introspective vocals that resonate with raw emotion. The intricate layers of sound intertwine, creating an atmospheric experience that captures the essence of DKANDLE’s artistic vision.
“Hanging Out In Stars” elicits a timeless, immersive, ethereal aura of droning expanding rustling swathes and shimmery dull mists built by plodding cymbal-laden drum beats, sinuously pulsing bass lines, intoxicating fluttering arpeggiated crystalline guitar melodies and buzzing distorted drifts, swaying between dreary chaos and sheer lucidity, to engulf soft, dreamy yet angsty atmospheric vocals, in an endless push and pull of love and longing.
Groovy melting psychedelic visuals bend space and light into an endless cosmic exploration, syncing seamlessly with the devotional vibes of the soundtrack. Black hole pupils dilate into shapeshifting visions, drawing clarity and focus from otherworldly perceptions, where archetypal relics, star-bursting horizons, and dark emotional seas forge unseen connections through an esoteric reflection of faith and reason.
NI))) NATURALEZA INSACIABLE (Chile): 'punteos, loops y demases', by Juan Bascur
There is no end to the crop of bands or projects that take the imprint of that atmospheric rock with guitars that took the often aggressive noise towards reverie, with a creative peak between the end of the 80s and the beginning of the 90s. This time let's examine the case of DKANDLE, an initiative of Denis Kandle.
Kandle has previous experience in bands like Pregnant Felix or N.O.P.E, so he comes with a clear idea. MONDANO is the debut album of DKANDLE, a shoegazer exercise, whose lyrics deal with the separation of the spiritual and earthly pleasures, something that conservative societies, and even more so if they are of strict religions, have presented as the norm.
Previously, the singles 'Flame' and 'Stampa Clandestina' were released. The first, the longest track on the album, leans towards ambient gracefulness, like Flying Saucer Attack with less harshness. The other is a manifesto against the established dogmas, with mentions to Leonardo da Vinci or Alan Turing; it sounds like 'Only shallow' (My Bloody Valentine) passing through the garagy sieve of The Ganjas. In the rest of the album, the mantric vibe of '1+1=1' (resembles M83), or the Ian Crause vibe of 'Keep Smiling', as well as 'Fluids Exchange' and 'Escapist comfort' stand out.
The eternal lovers of celestial noise will be grateful for the arrival of DKANDLE and his Dionysian sonic discharge blended with Apollonian harmony, as Denis puts it on Bandcamp.
HEATWAVE! (Brazil): “In October, the band released a new album, with the great name 'More Drag Queens Less Drama Queens'. I have the impression that many people today try to record albums like this, calling themselves shoegaze or dreampop, but few have the artistry and intensity that DKANDLE demonstrates in their work. Their genuine involvement with the genre is clear, and this guarantees a more genuine and sincere artistic expression”.
Radio Cult FM (Brazil): "The band makes an interesting rustic sound in De La Shower, but with modern touches. The guitarist stands out for his unique way of playing and the production of the work is very good”.
RGM (UK): “'Hanging Out in Stars' certainly shows the promise of DKANDLE in creating a thick and interesting sound”.
Naturaleza Insaciable (Chile): “'Hanging Out In Stars' is a 5-minute track that insists on atmospheric guitar noise, with a soulful beauty”.
Rue X Magazine (Mexico): “DKANDLE is a very good combination of shoegaze and grunge, ideal for fans of 90's and early 00's alternative rock”.
Radio Cult FM (Brazil): “The band has a dirty sound, in a good way, which is lacking in many rock bands today. 'Hanging Out in Stars' is heavy, but also brings interesting psychedelic passages and stands out for that.
HEATWAVE! Blog (Brazil): “Dissociation unites noisy guitars and ethereal vocals with heavy, bassy sounds, and a great result came out”.
La Caverna (Mexico): “Enjoy 'Hanging Out in Stars' with its incredible guitars and dreamy rhythms”.
HEATWAVE! Blog (Brazil): "'Hanging Out in Stars' features the classic sound of sublime noise. High, distorted guitars, strong drums, and a whole intense scene created. All of this laying down the groundwork for delicate, ethereal, and very beautiful vocals".