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Photo: Ben Taylor

The Dare sounds like 3 a.m feels.: woefully euphoric, uninhibited, rapturous, stumbling through the gutter fighting the sunrise and the often disappointing reality that comes with it. All these cathartic highs, hangover-riddled lows, and more build the crux of The Dare’s aptly-titled The Sex EP. Built around nights out, nights you should have stayed in, and carnal desires, The Sex EP sees the solo project of Harrison Patrick Smith presenting one of the best sonic definitions of indie sleaze’s noted resurgence while avoiding the pitfalls of merely emerging as a well-timed carbon copy. 

Opening on “Girls,” the 2022 breakout hit that introduced The Dare as a dance-punk purveyor, Smith races through the track with breakneck frivolity, ushering us from the back of one NY club to the next without a moment to catch our breath. It’s little surprise this song found its way onto the playlist of every LA and NY it girl and boy, soundtracking dim rooms as far as Home Sweet Home to Tenants of the Trees. 

“Sex” arrives as one of two new tracks on the four-track offering.“I just wanted to write something funny and true about my relationship to sex,” says The Dare. “It’s also the most time honored and classic theme of rock and roll, so I had to do it. The other, less horny songs are coming later.” The track retains the trademark revelry of The Dare’s previously-released singles, foregoing double entendres for infectious, sweat-dripping release. 

The Sex EP climaxes with the previously-released “Good Time,” which we praised as the hangover accompaniment to “Girls,” and “Bloodwork.” The new single feels like a particularly bold choice, standing alone on the EP as an entirely electronic track. Yet, in many ways, the dark, pulsing track feels like the perfect encapsulation of The Dare and The Sex EP’s ethos. This is a party, and what kind of party can truly end without a dance track that takes you completely out of your body and mind? 

Listen to The Sex EP below: