"I FEEL INSPIRED BY DOPAMINE"
I feel inspired by Dopamine... inspired to write new music. When I first started making music 7 years ago, I knew I had a long way to get where I wanted to. Recently, I have felt much closer. Now, I hear Dopamine, and realize I still have a ways to go. Their music is absolutely beautiful. Especially track four, "bottle thrower." It isn't so much the lyrics "You're a bottle thrower, set me free," but rather, the way it is sung. Not only is the singer's voice wonderfully melodic, but it blends in perfect harmony with the music and transports you into a world of wonder and amazement. When you go a couple of tracks deeper into the album, to "nickels and dimes," you're again sucked again by music that is reminiscent of the beginning of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven." The music stays harmonic, and the voice is still melodic. They show their range a little bit in track 10, "one:way ticket." It's got a faster pace and a heavier, distorted guitar. It's not as good as the rest of the album, but it's still worth listening to just to hear their different abilities.
by Gary Milholland @ Underground Music Monthly

"MUSIC TO DIE FOR"
Steve Balderson, head of the world of Dikenga, film producer and lead vocalist of Dopamine was generous enough to allow me to sample the group's debut album "Hypothermia". The music style varies in categorization, a combination of a folk sound, new age, rock and spoken word, all with a dark, meditative gothic style. It's very refreshing to return to a fairly simple instrumental background with an almost relaxing "holistic" (for want of a better word) melody. Balderson's voice also lends a special touch, sounding as sort of a cross between an Adam Ant, David Bowie and something entirely new. Plus, many of the songs are rather catchy, for example the day after I first listened to the album I found myself humming the title tack "Hypothermia" and the equally pretty tune of "In the Rain" over and over again in my head. As you take a listen to the various songs, your moods tend to range from hopeful to bitter, melancholy to free and a whole set of other emotions, which are quite apparant in the feeling of the music itself as well as the lyrics. "Hypothermia" is for the most part a relaxing compilation, good for meditation and getting in touch with your own thoughts even as you hear those of the lyrics.
by Rose Noire @ Vampires Amougst Us

"I was nailed to the ground when I first heard the excerpts of your album. Where audio meets the eye, such emotionality ... I simply had to confront my wife with it ..."
Johan, Belgium

"Unlike anything I've ever heard. Hypothermia hits me as being a raw channel of emotion (as if from the subconscious); music you appreciate the more you hear it."
Alex, Calgary, Canada

"Visceral."
Matt, Lawrence, Kansas

"I'm a bit blown away…I hope that more people will take up the message you're sending out there…"
Sankai, New York

"The tribal-like music… mixed with the many echoing voices of Steve Balderson creates an amazingly original, hypnotizing sound."
Kelly, Austin, Texas

"It is almost emotionally draining. It is beautifully dark and enhances the depth of some relationships in life. It is like kissing novocane."
- Greg, Manhattan, Kansas

"A bit of Pink Floyd meets Rock opera.. Bottle Thrower is a cool song."
- Vedra, Los Angeles

"I love it! It's one of the most original, beautiful, and slightly disturbing works I've heard in a long time. Being a musician myself, I truly appreciate it."
- Sean, Los Angeles

"A strange combination of nico and led zeppelin. It's really good, very compelling..."
- Simon, North Wales

"Beautifully cold and quite relaxing."
- Lynda, Waukesha