A PhD in Worthwhile R&B: The Dream Mixtape

Originally published at Passionweiss

The Dream can’t sing like Usher or dance like Chris Brown, but the music is better. In a genre harvested for disposable singles where performers adopt electronica-lite to crossover, Terius Nash is one of the few doing it differently. His songs are at times lewd, bitter and self-reflective. 

On the Mobb Deep sampling “Cold” from last year’s Royalty: The Prequel EP, Nash’s lover dances to his contemporaries and he’s jealous of their audio seduction. During “Turnt Out,” Dream mentions forgetting to sing in falsetto and throughout “Lake Michigan” admits to being a jaded ex-romantic. Even lighter work like “I Luv Your Girl” and “That’s My Shit” aren’t innocent love songs, but transparent references to Lil Wayne’s relationships with his ex partners. 

Among the assembly line ten-packs, The Dream conveys more than cliché. We’re not talking Shakespearean wordplay, but as 90% of mainstream R&B is more worried about consuming a refined carb than music, Dream’s imperfect personality is necessary.

Production is another of the self-proclaimed Radio Killa’s strengths. When Beyoncé and fellow hit syndicates aren’t tapping Nash's song writing with partner Tricky Stewart, his most interesting work stays in house. The majority of Dream's tracks aren't audio throwaways for a tweenage audience, but compelling finger-snappers. 

His catalogue is an instrumental master class with drums that knock and synths that trigger your internal dancing machine. Terius’ first three albums twisted the influence of R&B demigods with simple romantic themes. Later work is darker and experimental as he hardened his subject matter after two divorces. 

Not shy of exhibiting his influences, Nash is a music student. He’s paid tribute to R Kelly (“12 Play”), reworked lyrics from Ginuwine (“Ghetto”), channelled Prince (many tracks) and mimicked MJ (“Michael.”) Dream's also used enough of the "AY!" ad-lib to make even the most dedicated regionalist wish they were from Hotlanta.

Although his own influence is yet to be properly acknowledged, fellow singers undoubtedly pay attention and he's hinted The Weeknd listened to "Fancy" a bit too closely. Six track EP Crown was released earlier this month ahead of his July full length Crown Jewel. As with all Dream projects, there’s some tracks I’ll be listening to in a few months and some I’ll only return to occasionally. The aforementioned Royalty is the closest he’s come to a perfectly cohesive project with dynamic production, personal references, no unnecessary features and the most tasteful Outkast reference in recent memory. There have been concessions for radio and IV Play suffered from forced guest spots, but there’s rarely a release that doesn’t have a baby-making masterpiece. 

As someone with a PhD in The Dream's music, I've listened to his full catalogue and made the below playlist with my favourite songs. You might want to leave a comment about how a song you like isn’t featured or turn your nose up at R&B, otherwise you can two step with the rest of us.

Download Link

Fall Mixtape

I made a fall mixtape for Passionweiss. Just a fun playlist of groovy jams. 

Rather than opt for songs emotive of grey scale weather, blocked-guttering and shrinking daylight hours, I’ve compiled this fall mixtape as a snapshot of music I’m currently digging. The track-list reveals 2014 was the year I delved bellbottom-knee deep into funk’s luminescent depths. Prince, Zapp, Luther Vandross, Lakeside, The Isley Brothers and Teddy Pendergrass are all here, as is the jazzy trio Steely Dan and RZA’s go-to sample inspiration Baby Huey. The lack of great rap releases this year has also provided time to trawl through synth inspired raps and to discover Moe-Man, G. Dep and Fat Pat, all of which are featured on this set. So enjoy, but don’t expect the songs to match the dampness of your surroundings. This playlist is for those wanting to continue the party indoors. Perhaps most importantly, it will inspire you to consider if a “Big Pimpin'” collaboration happened between UGK and Tha Dogg Pound, would it have caused a tear in the Thot space continuum?

Tracklist:

1) Zapp – It Really Doesn’t Matter
2) Tha Dogg Pound – Big Pimpin’ 2 (Interlude)
3) Tha Dogg Pound ft Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg – Big Pimpin’
4) Moe-Man – Is It Like That?
5) DJ Quik – Dollaz + Sense
6) Yowda ft YG – That’s How It Goes
7) Fat Pat – Peep N Me
8) G. Dep – Doe Fiend
9) UGK – Swishas and Doshas
10) Baby Huey – Hard Times
11) The Isley Brothers – The Heat Is On
12) Steely Dan – Peg
13) Lakeside – Raid
14) Luther Vandross – I’ve Been Working
15) Teddy Pendergrass – I Don’t Love You Anymore
16) Raekwon – Hey Love
17) Prince – Time

Onra - L.O.V.E

Originally published at passionweiss
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By Jimmy Ness
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Onra’s latest strand of funk makes you feel like a baby-faced Prince still elegantly rocking crotch-hugging leather pants and frilly silk shirts. “L.O.V.E” has an obvious post-disco 80s influence with cloudy funk vocals, nostalgic synth-work, and beep-bop you’d imagine little green men grooving to. It’s the perfect soundtrack to hot weather, pool parties and driving a ragged convertible around Florida. Yes, I just described Miami Vice.
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The first leak from Onra’s forthcoming Fools Gold debut displays his evolution beyond the vintage boogie-funk of 2010 album Long Distance with half-spoken vocal samples and summer vibes. But the Vietnamese-Parisian producer doesn’t just make music for dance floor disciples. His Eastern inspired beat tapes Chinoiseries I & II contained unique Chinese vocal samples from the 50s and banged harder than a ninja assassin smoke grenade. The 30 year old has also drawn more than a few J Dilla comparisons by writers desperate to categorize his protean production.

If you’re a crappy Youtube artist thinking of adding vocals to “L.O.V.E” or any of Onra’s beats, please don’t. I’m wearing a tight pink suit and growing a puffy blonde mullet. I don’t want anyone to kill my excited preparation for Onra’s new opus.
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