At the beginning of the year, the LA trio Your Grandparents revealed their new album, their first under the ‘art-driven, development-driven’ label drink sum wtr. ‘The Dial’ serves as a refreshing experience; it embodies a soothing inhale and a warm, relaxing exhale. This album, featuring vocals by DaCosta (Kyle) and Jean Carter (Chaz), along with production from Cole Thompson, signifies Your Grandparents’ return to music. Their journey began in middle school in Culver City, where their connection was fueled by a shared love for the music of their youth. They started by releasing early works on SoundCloud, and demonstrated their potential in their 2019 debut, ‘Been Cold’, evolving into a diverse group of quick-witted rappers who explored jazzy vocal elements and artistic visuals.
"I believe time is a circle that endlessly repeats," Thompson states. "There are many smaller circles within the larger one. Everything we experience is cyclical, both on small and large scales." These concepts laid the groundwork for what ultimately became ‘The Dial’. The first track they completed for the project also became the album's namesake. Jean Carter sings, “When the sun sets and I look at the dial, I wanna surely say I wasted no time,” encouraging listeners to embrace the present moment. “We wanted to communicate that things will unfold in their own time,” DaCosta emphasizes.
‘All Dem Times’ expands from the introduction, exploring the dynamics between stillness, time, and expectations, but it is the reflective final track ‘White Flags’ that perfectly encapsulates the album's emotional essence. If each song represents a different time of day, ‘White Flags’ shines at midday, just before sunset; it has a bright, golden hour quality that is illuminating yet gentle. The cyclical nature of the album is its core strength, concluding with gained wisdom and starting anew with a hopeful embrace of the present.
In ‘The Dial’, the group's growth goes well beyond just the music. They have finely honed their writing on an album that includes no filler. It is a vibrant blend of tranquil reflection and emotional release, crafted with a skill and insight that reflect their namesake. Leading up to the album launch, CLASH spoke with Your Grandparents about their synergy as a group and why ‘The Dial’ represents the culmination of a decade of development.
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I used to play ‘Sunlight’ from ‘Thru My Window’ constantly. How would you describe the evolution of your sound and musicianship from that time until now?
Jean Carter: We were once heavily focused on rap, but over time we’ve embraced a lot more R&B, soul, jazz, and fusion. In the past few years, we released several projects on SoundCloud while in high school, but our first official release on iTunes was ‘My Only One’ featuring Umi. It has been a gradual evolution, and I believe our current sound strikes a good balance between where we've been and where we aim to go.
DaCosta: To build on what Chaz mentioned, we were indeed very rap-centric before. Eventually, it felt like just rapping wasn’t sufficient for us to convey the emotion or the message of the songs. We needed to grow as musicians to express more of what we were feeling and hearing mentally.
Jean Carter: Exactly. I also felt that the context around us—where “real rap” as we knew it wasn’t being perceived in the intended way—played a part in that shift.
Did you feel like you had outgrown that phase mentally?
DaCosta: There were definitely some mental shifts during the making of this project, especially regarding how intentionally I approached writing my verses. I was particularly inspired by Kendrick Lamar's ‘DAMN’. After revisiting it, I was struck by what an incredible writer he is and how he must refine his songs. It’s one of the few albums I've heard that has zero skips and that’s a remarkable feat for any artist. For this project, my aim was to refine, re-record, and rewrite verses until I found something that seamlessly integrated with the production and Chaz's hooks. I wanted to excel in my role as a supporting member and enhance the track as much as possible.
Cole: To add to that, much of my focus was on engineering, since we typically work from our home studio or a familiar space. We spent significant time contemplating what would enhance the songs. There’s no ego involved, just a shared desire to improve the piece. For ‘White Flags’, we considered whether to re-record, but decided to keep Jean’s raw demo take for most of the vocals, making minor repairs where needed. This was an enlightening shift for me. Being intentional doesn’t mean striving for perfection; if it fits, it fits, and that's what makes it intentional—it’s about finding the right fit regardless of whether it’s the initial or final attempt.
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Were there any books, films
The Atwood team has shared the music they have been enjoying: This week's collection features The Head and the Heart, Cloth, Olivia Reid, Aaron Taylor, Burry, Andy Tongren, Abbie Callahan, Asha Mclean, Rei, Adventure Lost, Wynona, Kevian Kraemer, Michael Isaak, Mel Denisse, Sid Dorey, Tough Cookie, Loren Heat, Sports Team, Brandes, Kindelan, Marsha Swanson, and Tash Blake!
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At the beginning of the year, the LA trio Your Grandparents revealed their new album, marking their first release under the 'art-driven, development-driven' label drink sum wtr.