Oh yeah, I know KAYTRANADA
Since the release of Kaytranada's debut album, 99.9%, my life has been exponentially better, here's why.
The ingredients to a great album released by a producer read a little like this:
1. A perfect balance of instrumentals and tracks with vocals
2. Undeniable voices and lyrics
Musical boy genius, @KAYTRANADA, got the recipe right.
99.9% is a cocktail of danceable vintage hip-hop, pop-house, and electro-tribal beats shaken, served on the rocks laced with a cool kid collective of artist features.
The album kicks off with two straight tracks of instrumental, the first time we hear lyrics is at the :26 second mark of the third track. Craig David reemerges on “Got It Good” with a melody and a voice made of gold. The song feels like liberation from winter clothes and falling in love on the first warm day of the year. And it’s a lyrical masterpiece.
“My hand meets your hand, our love isn’t plastic, but here’s my credit card, why not go max it.”
An unlikely pairing occurs on “Together”. GoldLink delivers a rapid fire tale of drug slinging from your mother’s house, having a child growing up in their mother’s house all while pursuing rap dreams. Juxtaposed with what is quite possibly the catchiest top-line on the album, the female vocals from AlunaGeorge bury the underlying tension in the lyrics creating a moment that makes you carefree enough to forget that we all got problems.
Vic Mensa steadily cruises through his verses on “Drive Me Crazy” and sings with unfiltered vulnerability on the hooks creating a duality to the track that’s very enjoyable. Kay makes the first of a few production twists at the end delivering what sounds like an entirely different track for the ride out.
“One Too Many” is bound to be on multiple getting-ready-for-a-night-out playlists. Phonte is witty as ever delivering a final verse that layers the metaphors on you so fast that the repeat button is required to catch them all.
Snatching up Anderson.Paak for this project was Kay’s most brilliant move. Just as he’s bubbled to the surface permeating the haze of the industry, Paak is the golden child of this project. “Glowed Up” punches you in the face from the jump as Paak declares “And it still ain’t a got damn thing you can tell me” over a trippy beat indicating that perhaps this seemingly newfound persona isn’t very new at all, just been waiting for everyone else to catch on, and up.
We found out just how beautifully Kay and The Internet could collaborate on the band’s latest album with the release of “Girl”. This time the tempo is taken up a notch as Syd’s whispery tone carries us through a fairy tale of semi-unrequited love on “You're The One”.
You ain't no good for me, I know it's true, but you don't have to be because I do it for the thrill.
As if it were a live DJ mix, seamlessly the music transitions into “Vivid Dreams”. Subtle vocals and the beat collide to create a tribal chant like track built for late night house dance sets.
One thing I noticed on this album, KAYTRANADA has this incredible ability to blend noisy instrumentals and silky voices together to create a cohesive, hypnotic sound, “Leave Me Alone” is the poster child for this. Shay Lia’s voice gracefully dances through the track’s many layers sharing her tale of reaching the point of fed-up with someone she once needed.
Many times the final track of an album leaves much to be desired, not this time. On “Bullets” Little Dragon, displays why they are pioneers and perfectionists of this modern electronic sound. Lead vocalist Yukimi spins one of their famous fairytales infused with duality and politically aware undertones over one of the best displays of musicality on the album. The track’s persuasion has an addictive quality that draws us back in for more as soon as it's over.
99.9% pushed KAYTRANADA’s relevance beyond that of a producer out here pedaling beats to eccentric artists. The album proves his ear and skills can create consistently quality music. And even the most traditional listener can find happiness in the jazzy synth of “Despite The Weather” or feel inspired to dance as soon as the bass kicks in on “Breakdance Lesson N.1”.
The build up fared well for this artist formerly regarded as a beat-maker. Musician it is from here on out, KAYTRANADA.
