From the frenetic opening moments of ‘Capital’, Dandelot kickstarts his simultaneously eccentric and artful electronic hip-hop album with an energy that’s rabidly infectious. The song slowly graduates to a more mellowed and floating production before returning to the freneticism it began with. That cascading between the edgy and leftfield to the serene and tranquil highlights in a singular opening track the sheer musical range that Dandelot’s able to showcase. The debut album for the solo project of the Brooklyn based Kevin Shoemaker is a masterful collection of dance music, classical music, electronic, punk, and trap music. Having a background in classical music, namely the piano, as well as an avowed interest in modern production, the levels of innovation you’re exposed to on this record is jaw dropping.
The album as a whole is meant to express the feelings and attitudes of youth, specifically young adulthood. It disregards labels, genres, and any semblance of boxes on its conception. Dandelot sees the exuberance of youth, the limitless and unshackled nature that we live with as a way to express his musicality on the record. From the powerful, Brockhampton-esque gobsmacking banger that is ‘David’, you’re immediately taken to a beautiful piano section on ‘Beauty’. But at no point does he seem to confine himself. Even on ‘Beauty’, there’s a host of futuristic sounds, autotuned vocals, and layers of production to give it that extra kick. Frankly, there’s no way to truly pin this record down. If you’re open to exploring something beyond a narrow conception of what we tend to categorise music through, this is going to blow you away.
I adore this record. I adore its ability to blend together meaning with poignancy in a delivery that’s relentlessly frenetic and chaotic. There’s imagination to this album, a freshness and excitement that’s indicative of an artist on the cusp of something large. Ground breaking, without a shadow of doubt.