Durand Bernarr is in a zone. He's locked into who he is as an artist, and his creativity has flourished in recent years as a result. We heard it on his debut album, 2020's Dur&, and it continues with the release of his sophomore album, Wanderlust.
The bouncy “Boundaries” kicks things off as the singer makes boundary-setting a soulful and affirming experience in a way that only he can. “I’m setting boundaries / You’re setting your boundaries / We’re setting boundaries,” he sings, all but daring listeners to not sing along.
He continues the party with “Footprints.” The funky groove finds Bernarr asking somebody to walk over him because they are just that fine. Produced by Roman GianArthur, the bass-heavy song again makes it hard to resist joining in and singing, “Walk all over me, why don’t ya? / Walk all over me.”
“Lil Bit” showcases Durand’s knack for being funny as hell while also singing the house down. He effortlessly puts his vocals on display, reminding us again that he definitely has the range. He expands the song a bit, adding on a verse from rapper Metta and adding a new layer to the song in the process.
While we definitely love us some tongue-in-cheek Bernarr, he’s just as good when he’s in his Quiet Storm bag as evidenced on “Leveled.” Here, he has finally found that someone who sends him to another stratosphere and listeners get to reap the benefits of that joy. The latter half of the song is all layered vocals over a warm, gooey track with some of the crispest instrumentation. To put it short — it’s a whole vibe. Meanwhile, “H.I.” is another reminder that Bernarr is dripping in sex appeal as he and Devin Tracy team up to deliver one of the sexiest songs of 2022.
“Destination” is an inspirational ode to finding oneself. “Though the journey ain’t s**t, the destination is lit,” he sings, reminding himself that things won’t be hard forever. This song is great for anyone who needs a gentle nudge to be gracious with yourself while going through this thing called life.
Wanderlust feels like one of those expansive conversations between friends that covers the highs and lows of life or as Bernarr calls it, “Kickback Therapy.” Clocking in at just over 47 minutes, Bernarr takes advantage of every minute, making Wanderlust more than worth the wait.
Durand Bernarr Wanderlust [Amazon][Apple Music][TIDAL]
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