At this point, every season is Kaytranada season. However, the producer seems to have an affinity for heating the summer up with undeniable jams. He kept us all on the dance floor last year when he and Aminé dropped their collaborative effort KAYTRAMINÉ, and he takes the same aim with his new solo effort TIMELESS.
Kaytranada is on fire once again on the production tip on this set. He offers up a lot of his signature sound, with heavy kicks and stretchy bass lines hugged up with shuffling rhythms throughout the set. But he’s not just content with giving us his signature formula here. He dabbles in a few styles, be it through samples or original concepts, as he blends sounds of yesteryear (funk, disco, boogie and even some jazz elements) with his own futuristic take. In the process, he also shows his growth as a musician.
That growth is also demonstrated by his carefully curated guest list. It ranges from Kaytra regulars like Rochelle Jordan, Tinashe, Channel Tres, Anderson .Paak and Durand Bernarr to a few surprising newcomers (including Dawn Richard and Childish Gambino). With so much star power, it would be easy for the songs to lean on the talent of his partners. Instead, he builds his own soundscapes and lets the artist find where they best fit within the musical tapestry.
This approach leads to an album full of standouts, especially since the set is sequenced so well that it seems like you’re listening to music at the best house party ever. There are a few stretches that rise above, however. The opening four cuts — “Pressure,” “Spit It Out,” “Call U Up” and “Weird” — are near perfection. Meanwhile, the flow from the sleek electro-pop of “More Than A Little Bit” to the damn-near jazzy hip-hop sound of “Do 2 Me” and bombastic R&B of “Witchy” might get you caught up if you’re not careful. The only drawback here is that the four bonus tracks, while great on their own, stick out sorely from the rest of the mix and make us wonder why they weren’t delivered as their own separate EP or double-single releases (aside from the previously released “Stuntin,” of course).
TIMELESS is easily going to be our summer (and maybe year-round) soundtrack. But will it be yours? Make up your mind when you stream the album in full and watch the visualizer for the Childish Gambino-featuring “Witchy” below.
Kaytranada TIMELESS [Amazon][Apple Music][TIDAL]
