“Years of unlocking the creative genius of other artists as a co-writer, producer, and record label head has led to the evolution and development of David’s own artist persona for the very first time.” - Noteworthy Music
“Punched with Cali desert rock, Franz incorporated various degrees of soul and blues to the track. The spirit of the desert blasts from start to finish with effortless ease.”- Ghettoblaster Magazine
‘David Franz and his psychedelic rock called "My greatest enemy", you have the perfect song for musical introspection at the heart of your feelings.” - Iggy Magazine
“It is a breath of fresh air, with its unique desert rock sound that will truly haunt you.” - LA Music Critic
“A personal journey turned universal, “To The Unknown” captures a timeless spirit in a time of great upheaval, and ignites a fire to help examine our truths and lead us towards transformation from shadow into light.” - Jammerzine
LISTEN TO TO THE UNKNOWN : HERE
From a combination of scorching life events, social transformation, pandemic lockdown, and personal epiphany, Southern California musician, songwriter, producer and label head David Franz has emerged, like a snake too big for its skin, from behind the producer’s console to the front of the stage and has released his debut album as a solo artist To The Unknown. The 10-track album is steeped in modern production on a foundation of soul and blues. With sounds formed by the spirit of the high desert, the music conjures energies from both outlaws and shamans. Full of self-examination, self-help, and self-harm, the album puts us all to task to question our own self-talk, bias, and self-determination. It’s a testament that personal growth is necessary for the greater good, and that growth is not at all easy.
Self-reflection and desert-tinged sonics are a running theme throughout the record. Franz released three singles leading into the album. The first was “My Greatest Enemy,” which Ghettoblaster Magazine exclaims “the spirit of the desert blasts from start to finish with effortless ease.” The song is about our inner voice and how we have the choice to control it or have it control us. The past year's lockdown has forced us all to stare down, like gunslingers, our reflections in the mirror and deal with our own negative self-talk. With this song, Franz challenged us all to take back the power from our inner critic and change our internal narratives for the better.
The second single “Silver Arrow Sunday” that Psychedelic Baby described as “California desert rock with a shamanic outlaw vibe” is steeped in the ethereal and desolate haze of the desert heat. The deeply personal track was written through the lens of a desert mirage, and inspired by a dream about a temptress dressed in deep red, dancing fantastically in a wavery shamanic vision. Her boundless energy slowly pulls David from his tumultuous past and into a fleeting future. The path forward seems positive, even if the direction and the destination are out of focus. Change is never the perfect replica of what we envision it being, but can be beautiful in its mix of clarity and confusion.
The third, “For My Own Health” is about a toxic relationship and an examination of optimism which is usually viewed as a positive feeling but can discolor reality in a failing relationship and act more like a disease. “When I realized that my own mind was playing tricks on me, telling me to stick it out in a relationship that was unhealthy,” Franz told V13. “I wrote this song to allow myself permission to leave. This song is a resolute awakening... a self-inflicted slap to the face followed by a tight embrace of self and a resolved, confident, and decisive walk away from the past.”
The album is rounded by 10 more tracks that walk the listener through a deeply cathartic healing process. A kinetic spirit and a questing nature have been the engine to his own professional growth and learning, making him that rare creature of left and right brain parity. Creatively, technologically, and temperamentally, his passion for music and teaching has helped numerous artists navigate the choppy waters of the rapidly changing music business. An early innovator, the young Franz wrote the first book about using Pro Tools music production software and designed the curriculum for Berklee’s first online music production course based on that book. He has since written other music production books published by Hal Leonard, online courses for Berkleemusic, lynda.com and LinkedIn Learning, and articles about music for many publications. After teaching at Berkleemusic for almost a decade, Franz was hired by lynda.com first as a course instructor and then as Content Manager for the Audio+Music subject area. After LinkedIn purchased lynda.com, Franz’s position grew into covering a wider range of topics including motion graphics, animation, illustration, and video, all the while learning new video skills and creating world-class online courses. From course author at the first online school to content manager at Linkedin Learning, he’s never had a job title that existed before it was made up for his new position.
Having a voracious appetite for many different genres of music, Franz founded not one but two record labels. Underground Sun covers a wide-ranging catalog of genres but all have a foundation in soul music. R&B, rock, hip-hop, blues, folk, world, electronic and jazz all find a home on Underground Sun. Underground Sol, co-founded with DJ/producer/entrepreneur Justin Paul, is devoted solely to electronic music and the myriad genres within that broad label.
Both labels embrace and cultivate diversity and inclusivity, knowing these are not only at the core of a thriving music industry but also imperative to connecting and empathizing with all of humanity. Both Underground Sun and Underground Sol have a strong legacy of launching musicians from under-represented demographics into solid music careers, and David couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the roster as an artist with his California desert rock inspired sound.
As a musician David has performed with Underground Sun artist Iyeoka in over 20 countries throughout Europe, Africa, and North America, including on several TED talk stages. Previous to that, Franz spent years honing his chops on stage playing shows with a variety of artists including The Bleedin Bleedins and Midatlantic all over the east coast of the US and in Ireland. With the release of To The Unknown Franz is looking forward to playing live but this time at the front of the stage behind the mic.
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