New Breed

Danny Danger
Reviewed 02/18/2019

Artist: DAWN
Album: new breed

new breed is the fourth studio album from the New Orleans-raised singer, songwriter, and producer DAWN (also known as Dawn Richard or DΔWN). A former member of P.Diddy’s all female group “Danity Kane,” DAWN has steered away from her beginnings into less commercialized left-field pop and new wave electronic R&B genres. The album explores her Black and Native American (Washitaw Nation – a tribe of the Mardi Gras Indian Nation) roots with emphasis on her New Orleans heritage – sounds like a self-discovery moment. Prominent use of an electronic DJ soundboard – unclear how many real musical instruments went into the sound.

Related Artists: SZA, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Kelela, Kimbra, ABRA, Janelle Monae
FCC: none – album’s clean version
Reviewer Favorites: 3, 4, 8, 9

1. nine (1:24) – repetitive electronic voice “dom” undersound, smooth singing unaccompanied by instrumental music, electronic harmonizing, short quick intro
2. new breed (3:35) – videogame-like sound to start, electronic piano, sharp beat drop into electronic talk-singing that shifts into auto-tuned singing, bass-drum beat, cosmo sound
3. spaces (3:10) – self-assured lyrics, colorful electronic staccato beat, Caribbean soft beat, low-fi sound with EDM moments, last 20 seconds audio of man speaking about New Orleans
4. dreams and converse (3:17) – upbeat, soft 80s dance music feel, electronic-y flirty and fun, fades into a man talking about the “Black Indians of New Orleans”
5. shade (3:41) – A man describes the Native American involvement in Carnival sans-music (first 30 seconds), strong low-fi beat under auto-tuned singing, pop/hip hop feel, fades into harmonizing sounds/singing
6. jealousy (3:41) – older woman speaking fades into halting electronic beat, clear R&B-styled singing, lyrics reflect title, smooth sultry yet upbeat feel, snapping, last 30 seconds low and deep electronic voice speaks
7. sauce (3:20) – soft R&B-esque singing fades into her singing voice, quick high “tinging” sound over deep bass beat, midtempo and yet still slow song, fades out from singing over nearly no beat
8. vultures | wolves (5:42) – older woman speaking on spoons tapping, water drop/clock tocking background, sultry electronic organ sound, inconsistent appearance of percussive beats, R&B sound singing, around 1:43 switches into Dawn reading poetry and then again at 1:20 into acapella singing and background sounds
9. we, diamonds (3:27) – church piano, rapping intro, upbeat sunny summer-esque sound, a hot summer in the 90s background type beat, feel-good song with self-confident lyrics
10. ketchup and po’boys (1:15) – electronic low-fi beat, quick sound but not an upbeat song, transitions into an older man talking about resistance and resilience.