a day ago
'AIN'T NO DAMN WAY!': KAYTRANADA's Return to Form
Summary
As of late,KAYTRANADA's sonics have taken a flurry of different forms. On his most recent album, last year's acclaimedTimeless,the multitalented musician focused intently on the R&B influences on his artistry, while before that, on Grammy-winningBubba,he took an entirely different approach to the the project's production, fostering an in-person, in-real-time collaborative process for each track, connecting with every featured artist in the studio. But if you asked Kay himself, his most authentic, stripped-down form is an electronic music producer, with roots enshrouded in the dancefloor but an influence that has extended far beyond the confines of the genre.
KAYTRANADA's new album is all about harkening back to these roots, a collection of club-ready cuts that channel the dancey early-career sound he championed. EntitledAIN'T NO DAMN WAY!,the album signals a return to form, dripping with dancefloor-driven production and ridden with retro flair. Fluid in its 12-track structure, each cut blends effortlessly into the next like one long live set, breathing a refreshing new life into a nostalgic curation of '90s samples and subgenres.
Predominantly an instrumental project, the spotlight shines not on creative collaborations or lyricism, but on Kay's sleek production and sampling tactics.
'Letting y'all know that this album is strictly for workouts, dancing, and studying, and for my people that love beats,' he wrote in an Instagram story earlier this week.
The first single on the tracklist is 'SPACE INVADER,' the album's sole pre-release single that kicks offAIN'T NO DAMN WAY!,a cohesive and immersive listen all the way through to the closing track, 'DO IT! (AGAIN!)' which features none other thanTLC.
1. SPACE INVADER2. CHAMPIONSHIP3. HOME4. TARGET JOINT5. THINGS6. backstABS7. GOOD LUCK8. SHINE YOUR LIGHT FOR WE9. GOODBYE BITCH!10. DON'T WORRY BABY/I GOT U BABE11. BLAX12. DO IT! (AGAIN!) – feat. TLC
After its surprise reveal on Monday,AIN'T NO DAMN WAY!arrives shortly after the producer announced an already mostly sold-out slate of co-headlining North American tour dates withJustice.
StreamAIN'T NO DAMN WAY, out on all streaming services now.
