Drawing us in with a high octane rock soundscape with bold guitars, Israell opens Dice Are Rolling… with a high emotional quotient and the introspective lyrics, “What did it take for you to notice me, all of a sudden like this, what would it take for me to get all the benefits, that come with this…”
We are immediately captivated by the raw authenticity that transmutes, and the relatable notions of the message. There is no doubt that Dice Are Rolling… holds a cinematic allure and would be perfect for a multitude of sync placements, notably a coming-of-age movie like Marty Supreme, or Incoming. We could also see it featured in a TV show like Elite or Euphoria.
As for the concept of the song, Dice Are Rolling… is a song about resilience, determination and overcoming the odds. Israell describes it as being about “outplaying the game”, whilst continuing to pursue personal growth and success. It feels very relatable in today’s day and age when many of us are striving for this balance and simultaneous freedom. He says, “The song is about outplaying the game, defeating the odds, and being one’s most resilient self while pursuing one’s ascent.”
We learn that the radio remix is designed to build on the original version with a more powerful and polished sound. It cohesively fuses melodic pop-rock, country-rock, and 80s influences to create an uplifting anthem about perseverance.
Montreal artist Israell wrote the lyrics, composed the vocal melodies, and co-produced the music with guitarist Nik Liubenchuk. The radio remix features new vocals, additional instrumentation, and drums from Connor Robinson. Mixing was handled by Grammy-nominated engineer Blake Eiseman, while mastering was completed by Thomas Cassell at Sage Audio, with additional mastering and vocal recording by Martin Bennett at Studio Loco in Montreal. One of the most remarkable parts of the project was the vocal production, which took an entire year to complete under the guidance of vocal producer Pedro “PG” Lomba.
The concepts of the universe, the matrix, and the idea of love conquering it all really tap into our heart’s centre and the guitar solo is transcendental. It even has a fade out – very 80s indeed! Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added Dice Are Rolling… to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Israell, including the two alternative versions of the track!