A shift towards brilliant pop sophistication...
The onset of the 2020s brought an immediate return to familiar soundscapes. Dua Lipa’s ‘Future Nostalgia’ and The Weeknd’s ‘After Hours’ dove straight into synth-pop and new wave, revisiting eighties icons in mainstream culture. Now, five years later, the pervasiveness of this nostalgic journey has waned. It became a powder keg: even merely using a Roland Juno synthesizer could spark accusations of monotony and predictability – as seen with the initial reactions to Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Manchild’, where comparisons were swiftly made to Chappell Roan’s ‘Good Luck Babe’. A glance at the current top ten reveals little evidence of eighties influence, likely because few artists can truly engage with it in a distinctive and creative manner.
Jean Dawson is an artist who skillfully navigates the nostalgia landscape with sophistication. ‘Rockabye Baby, Glimmer Of God’ embodies both flair and depth. The songwriting is incisive, the production striking, and the atmosphere evoked is reminiscent of late-night drives, vibrant neon lights, and sparkling cityscapes. In 2024’s ‘Glimmer Of God’, Dawson ventured further into pop, moving away from the complex guitar work present in earlier albums ‘Pixel Bath’ and ‘CHAOS NOW*’. While he has experimented with pop and soul throughout his career, ‘Rockabye Baby, Glimmer Of God’ fully embraces this approach, featuring crisper hooks and concise production.
In his new album, Jean Dawson shapes these pop concepts into something precise and thoughtful. The muted relief of ‘GODISADJ’ is swiftly followed by the exuberant title track, enveloping Dawson in the aesthetic of eighties pop and showcasing his transformation into a versatile pop star. ‘Prize Fighter’ reveals Dawson’s darkwave alter ego, incorporating Molchat Doma guitars and Boy Harsher synths to create a somber moment amidst an otherwise upbeat album. I compared ‘Glimmer Of God’ to passages from Mk.gee’s influential ‘Two Star And The Dream Police’, and the closing track on this album also touches upon these sonic realms. ‘The Modern Death of Bad News’ carries a Dijon quality, featuring gated drums and manipulated vocal samples that lead into a twelve-bar blues finale.
It’s a collection of pop snapshots, emphasizing the boundless adaptability of Jean Dawson’s vocals and songwriting. Over the course of eight tracks, a follow-up to his previous work ‘Glimmer Of God’, Dawson reinforces his “ghetto pop” signature. In the lead single ‘White Lighter’, he transports listeners onto an eighties time machine, integrating the decade’s notable traits with a contemporary twist. It’s both assertive and confident as a solid pop track, a consistent characteristic throughout the album. With seamless transitions between pop, soul, alt rock, and hip-hop, ‘Rockabye Baby, Glimmer Of God’ is rich and fluid – a polished, compact sequel to his most successful album to date.
8/10
Words: James Mellen
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