Denis Granan – Surrender (2025)
Denis Granan is a busy dude. Dividing time between Madrid and Berlin, he is the co-founder of Fluctua Records, half of the electronic duo RABBIT HOLE, and a solo artist who has been exploring and refining his sound since 2022’s single ‘21st Century’. He has dropped a new single, ‘Surrender’, which deepens his sound as he anticipates releasing a debut album.
Co-produced by Madrid-based producer, musician, and DJ, Ed is Dead, ‘Surrender’ explores a swirl of electronic and real-sounding sounds that step aside from the dance-floor vibe of Granan’s RABBIT HOLE work and even his earlier solo work to create something multi-layered and compelling. With a delicate voice in the upper range, not unlike Thom Yorke if the mood strikes him, Granan worries a simple melody over a changing texture of sound as he contemplates the cost of freedom versus staying in the grip of a relationship dominated by shame and manipulation. Surrender here does not sound like a thing of sweet bliss but something dangerous.
While the melody feels repetitive by the end of the song, something aided by the lack of dynamic change in Granan’s voice, the power of ‘Surrender’ comes from the mood set by the lyrics and the soundscape that Granan and Ed Is Dead create. Opening as a suspension of electronic and vocal sounds that give the melody dominance, the song evolves on the second verse, kicking off with what sounds like real drums (or a sample of real drums?). The setting takes shape with the chordal movement of a piano opposite a kind of electronic response, giving the remainder of the verses a yin and yang feel while Granan continues to develop the nature of the relationship. Eventually, the outro section drops and then builds competing vocal parts in a crescendo to the end.
This is one of those songs you have to hear to appreciate the intricacy. Granan shared a glimpse into this on his Instagram, playing a hidden melody that we might not have fully heard had he not shared it. This makes us curious as to what is on the horizon.
Find out more about Denis Granan on his Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
