The Dip

The Dip is a Seattle-based Rhythm and Blues band that is known for its poignant songwriting, detailed arrangements, and vintage sound. Featuring a three-piece horn section, the group’s music harkens back to earlier soul and funk influences while hinting at the jazz foundations that brought the band’s members together. Along with singer and guitarist Tom Eddy, bassist Mark Hunter and drummer Jarred Katz are equally at home in a tight-pocketed groove as they are spacious free-improvisation. Trumpet player Brennan Carter joined by saxophonists Evan Smith and Levi Gillis serve as the band’s melodic counterpoint, playing off Eddy’s vocals to create a distinct sonic character that has drawn in millions of listeners to date.

Love Direction, the follow-up to 2022’s Sticking With It (which landed at #1 on the Billboard Current R&B Albums Chart) is the band’s fourth full-length studio album and second for Dualtone Records. After recording their previous two records in their own Seattle rehearsal space, the band began tracking this album in Seattle’s Avast! Recording Studios, where they completed their first Self-Titled LP in 2015. Looking to push into the unfamiliar, the band then decamped to Los Angeles’ 64 Sound where they turned the keys over to audio engineer Josh Block to put a new stamp on the band’s signature style. Buoyed by a talented roster of guest musicians, the result is a dynamic 11-song collection that showcases the group’s distinctive driving sound alongside moments of introspection and nuance laid bare.

Still, despite the title, this latest record isn’t a collection of straightforward love songs, but an investigation into the different angles and challenges that relationships can bring. Expanding on the album’s theme, Eddy notes “These aren’t ‘Love Songs’ in the most obvious sense. They deal with the middle stages, the hinterlands of love and life together - figuring someone out and what they need, learning how to communicate, and examining your own faults. We set out to write music that felt more grown, a little wiser. The songs that emerged all pointed in the Love Direction.”

Whatever the influence, Love Direction is the sound of a band taking the next step forward. Hunter reflects that “the production of this album was completely different than anything we’ve made before. It was a big leap for us working out of our comfort zone and trusting each other, the people behind the team, and the songwriting itself.” Gillis confirms, saying “I think we were really exploring sonically and asking each other for directions too at times.” Undoubtedly, this trust has been fortified by the band’s extensive touring experience. Their last album cycle saw the band headline and sell-out shows at iconic venues such as the Fillmore San Francisco, Brooklyn Steel, and two nights at the Showbox Market in their Seattle hometown. They have also had the opportunity to support new friends like Lake Street Dive and The Black Pumas, while also appearing at major festivals including Bonnaroo and Outside Lands.