While there is no doubt pop music has had a significant year, can the same be said for club music? Erupting from the Lower East Side bar scene, The Dare crashed into the mainstream with his debut album “What’s Wrong With New York?” 

Harrison Patrick Smith, known by stage name The Dare, has had a whirlwind of a year finding himself in the center of pop music with superstars Charli xcx and Billie Eilish. Releasing his debut single in 2022 titled “Girls,” Smith found himself with a niche following that furthered his after-hours DJ career. After deciding to fully pursue a musical career in December 2022, Smith released his second single “Good Time,” signing with Republic Records to release his debut project titled “The Sex EP.” 

“What’s Wrong With New York,” released on September 6, 2024, solidifies Smith’s identity as an indie sleaze icon taking over the city’s nightlife. Containing both the previous singles off “The Sex EP,” his debut record “What’s Wrong With New York,” embraces the spirit of David Bowie trapped inside an LCD Soundsystem track. Navigating genre boundaries, Smith expands the sonic terrain of club music, writing desperate and sensual lyrics depicting the soundtrack of any twenty-something-year-old in the big city. 

The album opener, “Open Up,” transports you directly into the sonic environment Smith has established, incorporating decades of influence. Smith sets the tone for his record with the opening lyrics “It’s just rock n’ roll, you won’t die / You can’t spend your whole life inside.” 

Followed with a screamo chorus insisting his partner “Open Up,” the production features a steamy synth and guitar line that leads into a hypnotizing guitar solo. With the assistance of the cowbell, Smith generates a sound that uniquely draws influence from punk, disco and pop music.

Smith released two original singles off of “What’s Wrong With New York” titled, “You’re Invited” and “Perfume,” which were released a month prior to the album drop. “Perfume,” written and produced by Smith himself, explores the sexual desires inspired by a single scent of perfume. He continues to lean into this synth sound driving towards the chorus saying, “Something so seductive, but you can’t really tell / All the boys and girls ask me, ‘What is that smell?’” 

He continues depicting his desire for perfume by singing “I wanna smell real good while I’m burning in hell / ‘Cause the fire makes you sweat, other people can tell.” Smith’s play on words enables him to depict various sensual emotions throughout the image of one substance: perfume. 

The eighth track, “Elevation,” presents itself as a standout ballad describing Smith’s negative emotional state due to the loss of someone close. With lyrical themes of substance abuse, Smith writes, “Cause there’s no escaping, no escaping / No escaping love / And I feel like taking, feel like taking / Feel like taking drugs.” Smith allows himself to experiment with his production, reimagining the “party girl” aesthetic. The bass-driven synths stand in the spotlight on this track as he paints nostalgic lyrics, including, “Thought I saw you last week on the avenue / These people try to tell me I imagined you.” 

On the penultimate track, “Movement,” Smith returns to his punky combination of raunchy synths and sensual lyrics. Continuing to explore darker themes lyrically, he states, “And the fear is in my blood / And the blood is in my head / And the fear will see me dead.” 

Building up to an intense ethereal instrumental break, Smith provides one of the best rave tunes of his discography. Reminiscent of his production on “Guess” by Charli xcx and Billie Eilish, Smith creates a beat drop that immediately transports you to the basement of a New York club. 

On “What’s Wrong With New York,” Smith creates a sonically cohesive record that blends genres and decades of music together, generating a unique craft. Smith has found a way to pave his own path through the world of pop music, producing beats that make you want to have a “good time.” Leaning into his indie sleaze persona he states, “What’s a blogger to a rocker / What’s a rocker to The Dare?” 

Unbothered and unfiltered, The Dare is here to stay and improve off the monumental foundation he has created with his debut record.