A seven-piece Seattle soul and rhythm-and-blues band built around a full horn section, joining the arrangements of classic 1960s and 1970s soul to contemporary songwriting and a road-tested live sound.
The Short Version
Who Are They?
The Dip is a soul and rhythm-and-blues band from Seattle, Washington, formed in the mid-2010s. The group pairs a lead vocalist and rhythm section with a working horn section, drawing on the sound of classic American soul labels and vintage R&B while writing new material.
Two things define the band. First, the horns: a dedicated brass and saxophone section is central to the arrangements rather than an accent, giving the music the punch of a full soul revue. Second, the live foundation: the group came together playing shows around Seattle and refined its material on stage before recording it.
The band has released a self-titled debut, EPs, and the full-length albums The Dip Delivers and Sticking With It, and it tours regularly in the United States and abroad. To hear modern soul played by a full band with horns, this is a good place to start.
A full horn section, the engine at the center of the band's sound.From Seattle Clubs to Soul Revival
The Story
The Dip grew out of the Seattle music scene, expanding from a small group of friends into a full soul band with a working horn section over the course of a decade.
Seattle clubs and stages, where the band built its sound.
2013
Forming in Seattle
The band came together in Seattle, growing from a circle of musicians into a group centered on soul and rhythm and blues, with horns added as the lineup expanded.
2015
The self-titled debut
The Dip released its first full-length album, The Dip, establishing the band's blend of classic soul arrangements and original songwriting.
2016–2017
EPs and singles
The group issued the Won't Be Coming Back EP and a run of singles, sharpening the horn-driven sound and widening its audience beyond the Pacific Northwest.
2019
The Dip Delivers
The album The Dip Delivers brought the band national touring and its widest exposure yet, presenting a full-band soul record built for the stage.
2022
Sticking With It
The band returned with Sticking With It, a second full-length that broadened the arrangements while keeping the horn section at the core.
2023–present
Touring and new singles
The group has continued to tour and release singles, including cover recordings and new original material, maintaining a steady live presence.
Four Songs, One Introduction
Start Here
These four songs are the fastest way to hear what the band does, from horn-driven soul to slower ballad arrangements. Use the links to find them on YouTube.
01 · The Signature
"Paddle to the Stars"
A horn-forward soul number that shows the band's full arrangement at work, with the brass and saxophone section carrying the hook alongside the lead vocal.
One of the band's best-known songs, a mid-tempo soul cut that pairs a steady groove with the horn section and became a widely heard entry point to the catalog.
The band's catalog runs from a self-titled debut through EPs to two full-length albums. These four are the core. The highlighted card is a good place to begin.
2015
The Dip
The self-titled debut, introducing the band's blend of classic soul arrangements and original songwriting, recorded early in the group's Seattle run.
An EP that sharpened the horn-driven sound and expanded the band's reach beyond the Pacific Northwest, bridging the debut and the first national album.
Two sets: a First Listen of the signature songs to bring you in, and a Deep Cuts set for when you want to sink into the catalog. (Ideally, though, hear these albums whole.) Hit the button on either card to search it out.
The Dip is a seven-piece band, pairing a lead vocalist and rhythm section with a working horn section. The roles below describe the group's makeup; specific personnel have shifted over time.
Voice, rhythm, and horns, the three parts of the band's sound.
Lead vocalsVoiceThe front of the band, carrying the melody over the soul and rhythm-and-blues arrangements
GuitarRhythm and lead guitarProvides the rhythmic and melodic foundation beneath the vocal and horns
BassBass guitarAnchors the groove that drives the band's up-tempo soul material
DrumsDrum kitSets the pocket at the center of the rhythm section
Horn sectionSaxophone and brassA dedicated multi-piece horn section, central to the arrangements rather than an accent, giving the band its full soul-revue sound
The Roots of the Sound
Influences
The Dip draws on the classic era of American soul and rhythm and blues, the horn-driven records and singers who defined the sound of the 1960s and 1970s. Here is where it comes from.
Soul
Sam Cooke
A foundational figure of soul, whose smooth vocal phrasing and songwriting helped shape the genre the band draws on.
The band has spoken about its Seattle roots, its songwriting, and the role of the horn section in interviews and session features. These conversations are worth seeking out.
Interview · The Bridge
Tom and Evan of The Dip
Two members of The Dip talk about the band's soul-and-horns sound in a festival radio interview.
Once the albums have you, the band's world opens into EPs, singles, and live recordings.
The EPs. Won't Be Coming Back and The Dip Plays It Cool collect shorter-form material that fills in the picture between the full-length albums.
The singles. a steady run of standalone singles, including "Paddle to the Stars," "Atlas," and later releases, that track the band's development over time.
The covers. the band has recorded interpretations of soul and R&B standards, showing the classic material behind its own writing.
Live sessions. filmed live-session performances capture the full seven-piece band and its horn section in the room.
The Way to Listen
Do yourself one favor: put on The Dip Delivers from start to finish, then Sticking With It. Hear the horn section carry the arrangements the way a full soul band is meant to be heard.
