Artists: Dale Dunn (feat. Austin Nimmo)
Title: "Razor Blades and Pills"
Release Date: February 9th, 2016
Length: 3:50
Genre: Rap-rock, alternative rap
Elements of:electronic, rock, punk and pop
Songwriters: Dale Dunn
Producers: Mike Elizondo
From The EP: The Arrival (2016)

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Razor Blades and Pills is the debut single by alternative rap musician, Dale Dunn. This single not only serves as the artists debut single but a single from Dunn's debut EP entitled "The Arrival" that will be released on February 13th, 2016. Razor Blades and Pills also contributes vocals from pop artist Austin Nimmo and is the only featured collaboration on the EP that began streaming on February 7th without prior notice of Dale's release, or much information as to who Dale was. Despite the announcement of the EP coming without any prior knowledge, Dale has already began to pick up a following as the E.P has cracked the Top 50 on itunes and the Top 20 on the itunes rap charts off of just pre-orders and the official unveiling of the E.P and it's upcoming single. Aside from Dale having early but moderate chart success, he has since picked up a following on social media as the E.P has began trending as well as Dale himself as people have been trying to familiarize themselves with the Australian Rapper. From what we know right now, Dale is a 23 year old Australian rapper that hales from Mount Druitt, New South Wales and has been trying to break out in onto the rap scene since 2013 to no avail. After sending out demos to numerous management companies in the final months of 2014, Dale heard back from Crush Management; his current management and distributors. After inking a management and partial distribution deal with the company, Dunn begin work on his "Arrival" EP that is set to be released in just a few days. Using the EP as a springboard to get his thoughts out to the public, Dale started penning tracks that reflect on his thoughts and past experiences. With just six tracks that surge through deep subjects, Dale Dunn proves that he is far from a good look, but an actual lyricists with much to say. Specifically, Dale Dunn used his resources from Crush Management to get in contact with record producer Mike Elizondo to produce a record for his new E.P for a song that he penned entitled "Razor Blades and Pills". In 2015, Dunn and Elizondo entered the studio together to create a record that can not only break boundaries but is also nostalgic and something different, as Dunn didn't want to sound like any other rappers currently in the industry.
Being a natural lover of rock, rap and hip hop music, he wanted that to reflect as one concoction in his music and especially the single. After the record was produced and recorded the original rip of the song was finalized and was sent to Crush Management without it's featured artist, yet. Even though his management were very proud of the record, they felt as if the song would be even better with a vocalist singing the chorus and pre-hook of the song to give the song an even more captivating approach. Crush suggested that pop sensation Austin Nimmo would be a great addition to the record, and at first Dale Dunn wasn't a fan of the idea until hearing Austin on the final product: "When I first heard they wanted me to work with the Nimmo guy I said, holy fuck why? I didn't sign that dotted line to become a pop puppet. At one point I was gonna say fuck this shit, I'm out but the problem was, was that I started judging and talking before actually listening and giving the bloke a chance. You know, we both are from Australia and everything that's why I think he decided to do the song but when everything was set and done and I heard him on the finished product and I was like oh, this really does sound fucking rad and this bloke is actually good at what he does. Its out of his comfort zone but he kills it. He was a good asset". In mid 2015, Austin who is also Australian went into the studio after reviewing the lyrics and laid down the vocals to the song, sending back the final thing just days later. Finally, the song was mixed and completely done by December of 2015 and officially ready for release in 2015.

It doesn't take long listening to the lyrics and production of Dale Dunn's debut record to realize that the rap-rock record possesses all the gits to the a crossover smash. Rapping about being lonely, death, alcohol abuse and losing loved ones, the record is criminally and nostalgic and captivating and could easily get you thinking from the very first two lines of the record where Dunn raps: Broken bones and fallen teeth will keep the pain away/That's what my father said to me before he passed away. The spare, slow backbeat feels dark and gloomy the first time through, but ultimately it plays a key role in making "Razor Blades and Pills" very catchy. After using metaphors to rap about the loneliness of life and key-words that his "dead" parents have said before they've passed away, that could easily push someone over the brink and into depression and out of nowhere Austin Nimmo is heard. Austin takes a break from the pop hooks and glitzy pop songs that he is known for, for a much more matured and urban sound and he absolutely shines on Razor Blades. He coos out an echoey harmonization of the lyrics (which he's best at a long with his falsetto) that explain the catalysts final thoughts before their own death in first person, as Dunn rapped about the deaths of others as if he was telling a story. Austin sings over the hip hop and drum beats with a captivating tone in which he drags it out making them sound ultimately haunting.

He doesn't stop there however, he brings out big vocals for the chorus which speaks of the alcoholism and an indecisive set of lyrics as Austin sings about wanting to be alone, but knowing that it isn't "better" that way. Over the next verses of the song, Dale Dunn brings his relaxed flow to the song as he raps about the deaths of a friend, and a brother and finally him and Austin join for the bridge and Austin brings a faced paced speaking to the lyrics, that isn't exactly rapping but isn't singing as well, but he does a good job of sound great over an alternative record despite it being out of his comfort zone. Finally, Austin brings his vocals out for the chorus and Dale joins him at the end of the now extended chorus that sounds bigger than the previous ones. Dale ends us off with speaking out the words of the pre-hook of the song before the song ends. As said by sputnik music' "Outside of its musical and thematic creativity, Razor Blades and Pills is also chockfull with lyrics that are actually crucial to the songs’s vitality. When you have a work that relies on emotional proximity, what is written on paper is equally as important as the notes being played. That’s where Dale Dunn absolutely hit the nail on the head; everything here is expressed perfectly for the given situation."

The song will be made available on February 9th, 2016

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Razor Blades and Pills

Dale Dunn
Austin Nimmo

Broken bones and fallen teeth will keep the pain away
That's what my father said to me before he passed away
See I am not a soldier no I am not strong at all
I'm trying to make sense of it but I just run into walls

Muffins, cakes and cherry pies will always keep you sane
That's what my mother said to me before she passed away
The thermostat is broken, its one fifty below
They're playing with my head and I've got no where to go

(Harmozing, echoey vocals)
Razor blades and sleeping pills will take away the pain
That's what I'll say to myself before I pass away
Razor blades and sleeping pills will take away the pain
That's what I'll say to myself before I pass away
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So now I'm drinking myself away
Hoping that everyone else would stay
I'm alone but it's okay
I think it's better this way
But it's not, But it's not
oh, So now I'm drinking myself away, oh
Hoping that everyone else would stay, oh
I'm alone but it's okay, oh
I think it's better this way
But it's not, But it's not

Sexy girls and video games will keep you happy for days
That's what a friend said to me before he passed away
See I am not broken this is maybe just a phase
Who am I kidding? I think I'm going insane

Faded nights and rock concerts will take your breath away
That's what my brother said to me before he passed away
I fell asleep forever but I feel awake
I'm just wasting time waiting for a change


Razor blades and sleeping pills will take away the pain
That's what I'll say to myself before I pass away
Razor blades and sleeping pills will take away the pain
That's what I'll say to myself before I pass away

So now I'm drinking myself away
Hoping that everyone else would stay
I'm alone but it's okay
I think it's better this way
But it's not, But it's not
oh, So now I'm drinking myself away, oh
Hoping that everyone else would stay, oh
I'm alone but it's okay, oh
I think it's better this way
But it's not, But it's not

There's many reasons why these nights are cold
I've been running in circles, this is getting old
And I don't know why, no I don't know why
Echoes of my footsteps are all over this town
I've been walking for years and there's no one around
I've been walking for years and there's no one around

So now I'm drinking myself away
Hoping that everyone else would stay
I'm alone but it's okay
I think it's better this way
But it's not, But it's not
oh, So now I'm drinking myself away, oh
Hoping that everyone else would stay, oh
I'm alone but it's okay
I think it's better this way
I think it's better this way
I think it's better this way
I think it's better this way
I think it's better this way

Razor blades and sleeping pills will take away the pain
That's what I'll say to myself before I pass away

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