Atlanta-based lounge duo Painted Dunes have mastered the art of atmosphere, blending jazz house sophistication with the smooth pulse of downtempo electronica. Their latest single 'Monaco Affair' distills that craft into a lush, transportive track that captures both the elegance of the Riviera and the intimacy of a late-night jazz bar.
Already boasting millions of streams and charting across Europe on Spotify’s Top 50 Viral lists, Painted Dunes are proving that their tagline, “house music with a view, and a splash of jazz”, is a sonic philosophy. On 'Monaco Affair', sultry saxophone lines, vibrant trumpet flourishes, and warm piano chords intertwine effortlessly with deep, rolling house rhythms, creating a sound that feels indulgent yet grounding, timeless yet fresh.
So with the new single available now, we sat down with Painted Dunes to talk about the inspirations behind their music and what has influenced them most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Justin: Guitar for me…I grew up taking piano lessons at a young age but at the time I was the kid who would rather be outside so my attention span during lessons was limited haha. I took up the electric guitar in 7th grade and immediately loved it.
James: When I was 10 years old I got a drum set and my friends and I started a band called the Karrots (think backwards R’s like in Korn). After the tour around the neighbourhood didn’t take us to stardom though, years of editing Call of Duty MW2 montages led me to fall in love with electronic music and then producing.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Justin: I grew up listening to the music my dad loves which is eclectic to say the least. From The Police to Steely Dan. Pink Floyd to Thievery Corporation and Massive Attack. I didn’t know it at the time but being introduced to those artists at a young age would really play a big factor in my love of music today.
James: As a kid, I always loved classic rock that my parents played around the house (Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Lynyrd Skynyrd) and over the years grew to love electronic music, starting with some earlier progressive house and evolving into heavier dubstep and drum and bass, before eventually coming back to a lighter house style.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Justin: “Millenium” by Backstreet Boys (I was 5)
James: “Dookie” by Green Day
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Justin: Gosh how much time do you have?? It’s almost impossible to say just 1 song because there are so many songs that I absolutely love and each time I hear them I’m amazed at their composition. Off the top of my head, a song I’ve admired for quite some time now is “Something Stronger” by Saru. That song is pure brilliance, and I could only hope to create something of that caliber one day.
James: “Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Justin and James: We both send each other new songs we find all of the time and have a collaborative playlist of songs for inspiration. So we usually have some sort of idea of where both of our influences have been recently, and we just build from there.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Justin: Pig&Dan are right at the top of my list at the moment. They released an album over the summer called “Journey Within” that is just genius. I’m also a big Eric Hilton fan, having grown up listening to Thievery Corporation and seeing them live multiple times, so I love Hilton’s solo work he’s been putting out these last few years.
James: Recently have been really into LEISURE, Tour-Maubourg, The Qemists, and Barry Can’t Swim.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Justin and James: Either Tame Impala or Empire of the Sun.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Justin and James: I think for us, we started Painted Dunes because we both love music…so much so that we decided to make our own. Each song we work on and release is something that we thoroughly enjoy ourselves so it’s just an added bonus when others out there like and appreciate our music as well. To us that’s the most rewarding aspect.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Justin and James: The perfectionist in both of us haha…when you get down to the last 15-20% of the process where we’re fine tuning a song, making small changes that end up making a big difference. That takes time. Often, that can feel like the most tedious part of making music but it’s worth it in the end.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Justin and James: The best advice we’ve received is just to stay consistent and treat every song as a way to learn and improve as artists.
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Painted Dunes' new single 'Monaco Affair' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.