A NEW KING OF R&B?

G.+James

G. James

G. James

Grace James, Entertainment Writer

New to the R&B scene, Daniel Caesar has been killing the music game. On his debut album “Freudian,” the Toronto R&B singer looks to gospel music for a map to the intricacies of romantic love. He easily blurs the lines between two genres: R&B and gospel music. In fact, gospel music inspired the album. The two genres’ similar tempos and lyrical themes are significant to Caesar’s style of music. In Caesar’s world, love is a holy experience, however it does have its imperfections. The idea of beauty within madness doesn’t stray far from Caesar’s mind. He has had his times with a broken heart and reminisces on these past experiences in some of his songs.

“Freudian” opens with his breakout heartwarming single “Get You,” which is a lovey-dovey honeymoon phase ballad, featuring Kali Uchis. Daniel shows off his soprano vocal range when he sings “Ooh / who could’ve thought I’d get you?” When Kali joins the song, it’s instantly a smash.  It really can’t go wrong with lyrics such as, “Just be thankful/ That I had days full of you.” “Best Part,” featuring R&B sensation H.E.R., is equally dulcet. As H.E.R. hums, “I just wanna see/ I just wanna see how beautiful you are/ You know that I see it/ I know you’re a star,” it’s no wonder why the song hit N. 1 on the Adult R&B songs chart. One of my favorite songs on the album would have to be “Take Me Away” featuring Syd. There is something about mellow beat and bass guitar that makes you feel like you’re floating on a cloud nine. Unlike other songs on the tracklist, “Take Me Away” is about infatuation. This girl was literally Daniel’s “inspiration for [his] soundtrack.” It’s interesting to see Caesar’s perspective on lust, rather than just love. “Hold Me Down” and “Transform” featuring Charlotte Day Wilson, are some more soulful ballads on the album. The beats are so amazing and include lots of slick guitar riffs, which is something you can always expect from a Daniel Caesar song. Other songs on the album are “Neu Roses (Transgressor’s Song),” “Loose,” “We Find Love,” “Blessed,” and the title track, “Freudian.”

“Freudian” is a little different from Daniel’s earlier works, and as a fan, I can definitely tell he has progressed as an artist. The album is perfect for late night drives, studying, or just relaxing. You really can’t go wrong with an album full of soulful ballads, smooth guitar riffs, and a silky smooth voice.