NYC's DINHO DINHO Explores Independence & Heartbreak With “Fool for Free”

DINHO DINHO’s new song “Fool for Free” gently pushes the boundaries of rock n’ roll, romance, and healthy relationship dynamics in a city that seems to stifle honesty in art and love.

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Stream: “Fool for Free” – DINHO DINHO

A common grievance about New York City is that its art and music scene has lost its gritty edge and is now nothing but a mere ghost of what it once was.

One particular criticism is the lack of New York City rock bands that have emerged in the past couple of years. In reality, though, New York has consistently produced very talented musicians; they’re just making music that sounds a bit different than what came before. At the present moment, there’s a perceived resurgence of New York City rock because the sound of the early 2000s has now cyclically come back into fashion, and there is greater documentation of music due to social media. Rather than trying to capture the sound of the past, however, bands like DINHO DINHO are incorporating the influence of previous generations while still trying to carve their own path. They most recently released “Fool for Free,” a new song in a continued string of solid singles.

Fool for Free - DINHO DINHO — Fool for Free – DINHO DINHO

On “Fool for Free,” the band showcases their seemingly effortless ability to oscillate between raw emotional admissions and catchy lyrics, which contributes to their unique sound. The subdued delivery in the vocals, paired with a bright and punchy instrumentation, creates an aura of matter-of-factness that both highlights the moments of regret and lamentation over a past heartbreak, while also assuring the listener that they’ll get over it.

Further, a certain level of self-deprecation permeates throughout their songs, pointing to a level of self-awareness that seems to allude to many other young bands over concerned with appearances. However, they expertly toe the line, avoiding the sad-boy energy that elicits self pity and endless wallowing. Instead, they communicate a sense of acceptance and maturation that develops over the course of “Fool for Free.”

What separates DINHO DINHO from many other emerging NYC bands is their rejection of the endless chase of a perceived notion of rock stardom.

Instead, they’ve cultivated a genuine honesty in both their music and public image. They make good music that they want you to listen to, but if you don’t, that’s okay, too. There’s no gimmicks or reliance on cliches to go viral, they’re content with being themselves.

The band was formed by born and raised New Yorker Shaan Ken Rao, and his local perspective is ever apparent in the band’s music. Growing up in New York gives you a sense of realism and understanding about the trappings of art and fame. Talent, celebrity, and privilege are all relative based on numerous contextual factors and in a city as diverse and dense as New York, and no amount of money or clout will actually make you interesting.

So, rather than getting caught up in the ouroboros-like cycle of making content for content’s sake, Shaan and DINHO DINHO are building out a musical identity that isn’t reliant on audience acknowledgement.

The quartet of Shaan Ken Rao, Thomas Parker Norton, Colum Enrique, and Dominic LaMorte have a palpable chemistry that has produced an intriguing body of work for the band. They’ve played at various downtown venues such as Mercury Lounge, Bowery Electric, Berlin, and The Delancey.

With their dedication to making quality music, we’re excited to see what they have in store for the rest of 2024.

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