Dirty HeadsMidnight Control (Deluxe Edition)

They say two heads are better than one, but in 2023 Dirty Heads equals a treasure trove of new and old gems from the California groove-merchants releasing a new deluxe version 2022’s Midnight Control.

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Once again showcasing their reggae, hip hop and rock hybrid wares last year with album #8, Midnight Control’s deluxe edition in 2023 offers a whopping 23 tracks for your listening pleasure. The platter brims unreleased songs, reimagined versions, new collabs, and acoustic and lo-fi versions of Midnight Control’s summery, feel-good tracks. Seemingly perfectly timed to inject some warmth and laid back charm into our winter months here in the Southern Hemisphere, Midnight Control (Deluxe) delivers exactly what it promises: a continuation and expansion of what fans already know and love Dirty Heads for, with just enough surprises to warrant a start-to-finish revisit for the diehards or first-timers out there.

If ever a band were to embody “good vibes”, it’s unmistakably Dirty Heads. The original Midnight Control tracks offer an abundance of catchy hooks, effortless flow and songs that celebrate the good life. While the original may not itself reinvent any sonic wheels per se, it does still flex the undeniable fact that Dirty Heads can inoffensively and effortlessly weave their beach-ready sounds with clever melodics and lyricism that spans love alongside amiable thematics. And adding to the OG album, Dirty Heads also embrace collaborations with the likes of Colombian duo Monsieur Periné on a revamped version of Island Glow, as well as appearances from Ivuss and Alex Vince on a reimagining of John Linen. 

If ever a band were to embody “good vibes”, it’s unmistakably Dirty Heads.

With the rootsy charm of 2 Shells to the swagger of Get You By marking its midpoint, Midnight Control (Deluxe) unfurls overall like a laidback summer’s night, from sunset well into the early morning hours, kicking off with the hip hop soaked original version of Island Glow before slowly morphing into its acoustic phase via a stripped-back version of Joe Walsh’s iconic Life’s Been Good and, finally, some lo-fi swoon via Shade, Rescue Me and the titular album track.

No matter how you may have first discovered Dirty Heads, whether you jumped aboard in the mid 2000s or were swept up via their viral TikTok renaissance recently courtesy of their track Vacation, Dirty Heads continue to be a band that are simply easy to enjoy. And with lashings of upbeat comfort, warmth and some new treasures to discover, Midnight Control (Deluxe) is a must for any Dirty Heads completionist, or anyone craving some summery fun in their life.

STANDOUT TRACKS: John Linen, 2 Shells, Get You By
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