Dark Red (song)

"Dark Red" is a song by American musician Steve Lacy. The track was solely written and produced by Lacy and was initially featured on his 2017 debut solo EP^[a], Steve Lacy's Demo.

The song achieved commercial success in North America several years after its initial release. The song is considered a sleeper hit. In the United States, "Dark Red" peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[1] It also charted on Billboards genre-specific listings, including reaching number four on both the Hot R&B Songs chart and the Rock Streaming Songs chart in September 2021. In Canada, the song reached number 71 on the Canadian Hot 100.^[2]

The song, along with the rest of the Steve Lacy's Demo EP, was frequently noted for its unique production method.^[5] It was written and recorded entirely by Lacy using the GarageBand application on his iPhone.^[5][6] The songs production has been highlighted by publications such as iNews.^[7]

Critically, the track has been described in the context of Lacy's overall musical style, which Saint Heron characterized as "an electrifying yet smooth playful depiction of beachy funk, rock 'n roll-sprinkled soul".^[5] Reviewers often highlighted the track's combination of "raw instrumentation and perfectly cleaned/engineered vocals".^[8] The song's lo-fi quality, stemming from the small-scale production, was noted for the sense of connection it established with listeners.^[8] Geeks of Color pointed out the track's blend of "twangy guitar and his raspy, yet angelic harmonies".^[9] This blending was summarized by the observation that his style is like "plaid, because 'there's so much going on, but it doesn't clash'".^[9]

Lyrically, "Dark Red" was interpreted as a "Baby, we can work it out" song.^[9] The track features a theme of making amends in a difficult relationship and contemplating a potential breakup.^[9]