The opener to 22, A Million, “22 (OVER SOON),” hints at a new direction for the band. Bringing together traditional soul and mellow electronic, it sets the tone for the album in a concise, two-and-a-half-minute statement.
Next is "10 d E A T h b R E a s T,” an interesting contrast of deep, layered vocals and a distorted, marching beat. “715 - CREEKS” follows—an a capella track, featuring vocoder-filtered vocals that invoke early James Blake and even 808s-period-Kanye at some points. 33 “GOD” sounds nothing like you’ve ever heard before—there are a ton of layers, but they all seem to fit. The intro starts on the lighter side—a piano riff, strings, pitched-up vocals—then out of nowhere comes bass, snare, an echoing synth and a lush, full sound. “29 Stafford Apts” is next: a folky, guitar-based ballad with a really pretty melody but also low, rising saxophones and bits of echo and distortion. “666” continues to contrast the electronic and acoustic influences of the album—featuring a repeated synth line against both electric and acoustic guitar and later, an upright bass. “21 MOON WATER” is the most experimental track—remaining mostly ambient until finishing with a flurry of bleeps, creaks, and reversed vocal samples. The album finishes with “00000 Million”—a quaint but powerful ending with an uplifting melody, piano and guitar, and a vaguely nostalgic vibe. On 22, A Million, Bon Iver seems to be able to incorporate a small, style-bending detail into every track. On “666,” the upright bass cuts into layers of synth and electric guitar, on “33 ‘GOD,’” a distant banjo shadows the web of strings, drums, piano, and affected vocals. It’s so intricate—each detail makes me want to go back and listen again. The best part is, despite all the layers and intricacies, the album is light and accessible. Stylistically, it melds the delicate folk melodies of For Emma, Forever Ago with the hard-hitting beats of Yeezus, but never feels busy or overly dense. Blending styles, exploring intricacy, and forging a brand new sound, 22, A Million might be their best album yet.
D.R.A.M. is mainly known for his hit songs “Cha-Cha,” “Broccoli,” and “Cash Machine"--three bright and silly pre-album singles. While D.R.A.M. can clearly do fun songs, in this album he instead brings much more of his soulful singing, drifting more into love songs than catchy singles. After the first track, “Get It Myself,” D.R.A.M. explodes onto the album with the dynamic anti-hater anthem “Misunderstood,” in which he addresses people who think that they know him better than he knows himself. The explosive production, particularly on this track, is a great highlight. After that, the album continues with songs like “In A Minute / In House,” “Monticello Ave,” and “WiFi,” and D.R.A.M. gets in touch with his loving side, speaking to an unknown woman, talking about how he just wants to be with her, and is constantly thinking about her, but is held from her due to his new popularity. All three songs are slick, sexy, and soulful, though the first half of “In A Minute / In House” is awkward and is lacking in production. In the middle of the album, D.R.A.M. includes a few pre-album singles, such as “Broccoli,” “Cash Machine,” and “Cute.” Lil Yachty’s verse on “Broccoli” is exactly the opposite of D.R.A.M.’s; it’s completely lifeless and meaningless. In the second line, he even references the Columbine shooting, a complete deviation from the overall tone of the song. In “Cash Machine,” D.R.A.M. has lots of fun over a Ray Charles sample which was very tasteful and easy on the ears. “Cute” is a very tasteful and loving song about a very wholesome relationship, which gave D.R.A.M. a real loving side. He doesn’t partake in the hyper-masculinity of other rappers--he genuinely seems to care about a girl, and he isn’t bragging about how many girls he has been with. The last third of the album contains more love songs, the highlight being “100%” in which he professes his love to a woman. He argues that together, they are both complete--again showing his caring side. Then, ending the album, D.R.A.M. brings a cool, jazzy beat to the table accompanied with soulful lyrics, dedicating the song to Virginia, his home. The bonus track, “Workaholic,” also deserves recognition as another silly, over-the-top party song, with some early 2000’s pop nostalgia combined with a flavorful trap beat. Overall, the album showcases both of D.R.A.M.’s personas: both his silly and carefree side, but also a caring, loving, and emotional side, often overshadowing the other artists who work on the album. Combined with crisp, slick production, Big Baby D.R.A.M. is a very pleasant album to listen to, and has songs for almost any occasion. |
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