dvsn - Morning After Album Review

Story posted October 18, 2017 in Arts & Entertainment by Jerome Taylor.

Morning After is dvsn’s second studio album following the release of 2016’s Sept. 5th. Talent combined with a very influential cosigner, dvsn has garnered the duo a lot of attention. The Toronto based duo is comprised of singer Daniel Daley and producer Nineteen85 and signed to Drake’s OVO Sound in 2016 after being featured on Drake’s Apple Music radio station, OVO Sound Radio.  dvsn is looking to take another step forward in their careers and this album will help. This album is heavily about the end of relationships and spends a good deal of the album describing the on and off aspects of a relationship.

Daley delivers passionate vocals through the whole album; the premier example of Daley’s ability as a vocalist is “Keep Calm.” On this track, Daley sings about a lover who is on the edge of ending things with Daley and he is doing his best to keep her. He reminisces about the times the two have shared together and wants the two to be together. Daley’s voice is perfect for the song, his voice is so powerful you can almost visualize him trying to court the lover to come back to him. The song “Nuh Time/Tek Time” is also a song in which Daley stands out. The first half of the song, “Nuh Time,” Daley sings from the perspective a woman complaining about her lover not spending enough time with her. “Tek Time” is Daley’s response reassuring his lover that he will always be there for her. This song stands out for the same reason “Keep Calm” does: Daley’s voice paints a picture. His ability to convey emotion through his voice is why he’s special and on these tracks his skill is on full display.

Nineteen85’s delivers a standout production effort on Morning After.  He samples Maxwell’s “Fortunate” on “P.O.V.,” the last single released before the album. The sample choice fits the song like a glove. On “P.O.V.,” the vocal sample adds to the romantic mood. Nineteen85’s production surely will garner well-deserved praise, as songs like “Run Away” and “Can’t Wait” are great examples of how skillful of a producer he is. “Can’t Wait” slightly removes itself from the album because its pace is a little faster than most songs on the album. “Run Away” similarly is removed from the album, but this song has a much more powerful bass and will catch any listener’s ear on first listen. Nineteen85’s beat selection for this album is dark and adds to the feeling of sadness that Daley is conveying via his voice.  

“Morning After,” the album’s self-titled track, is dvsn at their best. It is much more upbeat and if the duo is headed toward stardom, expect more songs like this. Daley is serenading his lover in hopes of persuading her to stay with him until the morning. According to the second verse, Daley is successful and he then reminisces about the night that they had previously, which is then followed by the chorus that seems to indicate that Daley has found someone he wants to spend more time with in hopes of forging a relationship with the person.

Morning After is a turn for dvsn, who focused on the feeling of finding new love on their first album, Sept. 5th. This album takes a darker turn and focuses on the feeling of a relationship crumbling. dvsn brings fourth pain and passion on their second album and execute at a level most artists can only dream of.

Rating: 7/10

 

Jerome Taylor is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jerometaylor91697@gmail.com