Kaytranada is an artist I have always admired. Like Charli XCX, whose excellent album BRAT I just wrote about a couple of years ago, Kaytranada has always been considered a trailblazer in his genre. Kaytranada makes super riveting and fun House music that is extremely eclectic. Kaytranada blends elements of R&B music, Soul, Funk, Pop, Rock, Hip Hop and more into his super diverse sound. It is tough to pinpoint his exact sound because of how all over the place it is(in the best way). Kaytranada is known for using samples and loops with a level of intricacy and uniqueness that really makes his music pop. After gaining notoriety for a plethora of great remixes and mini-projects in the early 2010s, Kaytranada released his debut album, 99.9%, in 2016. This record was highly acclaimed by critics and House music fans alike, asserting Kaytranada as one of Dance Music’s rising stars. He followed up this record with the equally as great 2019 record Bubba, which ended up winning Kaytranada two Grammys and cemented his status at the top of House music. After doing a couple of one-off collaborations over the next couple of years, Kaytranada came back with a joint album in 2023, where he and the Alternative Rapper Aminé combined their avant-garde Dance music and Hip Hop sounds. KAYTRAMINÉ is a cool fusion between two pretty unusual artists; it ended up being a top album of the year for me(please go read my review of KAYTRAMINÉ after you are done reading this one if you have not yet). Kaytranada recently returned with his third studio album, titled Timeless. Considering this is a pretty long Dance music album, instead of reviewing every track, I will write about some of my favorites and give a brief summary of how I feel about it at the end. With that being said, here is how I feel/my favorite tracks from Kaytranada’s Timeless. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite tracks are from Timeless, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole.
SPIT IT OUT(FEAT. ROCHELLE JORDAN)
Out of all 21 songs on this album, ‘Spit It Out’ is the one I would think fans of Kaytranada’s oldest music as well. This song certainly fits into the theme of what most of his music has been like in the past. It actually sticks out a bit on this album as a lot of the music goes in a slightly different direction, and this is what makes it hit. ‘Spit It Out’ is a soulful and bright cut driven by a funky bassline and luscious synths that make the song feel so warm and inviting. The vocals from Rochelle Jordan on ‘Spit It Out’ are excellent. I love the way her dainty tone sits on this very strong and all-encompassing instrumental, as it contrasts the instrumental nicely and gives the song life. ‘Spit It Out’ may not be one of the more adventurous or bold tracks on this record, but it is an entertaining track that fans of Kaytranada’s older music should love.
DANCE DANCE DANCE DANCE
‘Dance Dance Dance Dance’ is one of the shortest songs on the album, but is also one of the most punchy and impactful. This is definitely an aptly named song, because it does make me want to dance when I hear it. ‘Dance Dance Dance Dance’ is a song that fits perfectly into the theme of this album as well, as its sound is timeless. Somehow, this song feels modern and classic at the same time. The melody is highly processed and metallic but has a shimmering Groovy tone that is so reminiscent of the 1970s. The beat for this track somehow feels old and new as well; it also has a 1970s Disco element to it but still feels like it fits into the House music landscape of today. ‘Dance Dance Dance Dance’ is a funky little joint that makes me want to move when I hear it, and I certainly admire that.
FEEL A WAY(FEAT. DON TOLIVER)
‘Feel A Way’ is the slowest and most deliberate track on the album. In a way, it almost feels out of place because it does not necessarily have the same Dance music sound as the rest of the album has. ‘Feel A Way’ is still very good for what it’s worth. I actually enjoy this change in tempo and style within the context of the album, because it shakes things up and provides a nice buffer. The instrumental for ‘Feel A Way’ is so trippy and ethereal. The spacious and groovy melody is complemented by all sorts of sound effects and is mixed in a way that makes this song feel like it came straight out of a Jazz club from the future. Don Toliver’s nasally high pitch sounds so awesome on this track. Hearing this one makes me want Don Toliver to go in this smoother and Jazzier R&B direction more often with his own music, as he obviously excels at it. ‘Feel A Way’ is a cool change in tempo and style that shows a new side to both Kaytranada and Don Toliver that I hope they explore more in the future(together or separately).
VIDEO(FEAT. RAVYN LENAE)
‘Video’ is another song with a sound that totally stands out among the rest of the music on this record. Like ‘Feel A Way,’ this one is significantly slower than a lot of the other music that precedes or follows it. Instead of having a House music or general Dance music feeling, this one feels like a fusion of AfroPop and 1990s R&B. ‘Video’ easily has one of the quirkiest sounds from this record, which is what makes it so enthralling. I really like the melody on this track, as somehow it sounds anxious and inviting at the same time, creating such an interesting juxtaposition. Ravyn Lenae’s sweet, high-pitched vocals stand out on this track and add a level of life to the track that makes it pop even more. ‘Video’ once again shows a slightly different side to Kaytranada’s artistry that I enjoy a lot.
DRIP SWEAT(FEAT. CHANNEL TRES)
‘Drip Sweat’ is easily the darkest and grittiest song on the record to this point. After how crisp and clean the first several songs on the record are, this is certainly a nice buffer. ‘Drip Sweat’ has a much more exotic sound than anything that precedes it. There is almost a bit of a Reggaeton element to the drums on this one, which makes it pop. The melody for ‘Drip Sweat’ is so grimy. It is driven by a soulful horn riff that is complemented by all sorts of nasty synths. As cool as the instrumental is, the best thing about ‘Drip Sweat’ is the vocals from Channel Tres. I love how gruff and raspy his tone is on this track, as it fits the feeling of the instrumental so well and adds to the song’s gnarly feeling. ‘Drip Sweat’ is a fun switch-up from the sheeny feeling the album has had to this point, and I appreciate it a ton.
MORE THAN A LITTLE BIT(FEAT. TINASHE)
If you know me, you should not be surprised that I would pick the song with Tinashe for this list. I think she is easily one of the most underrated artists in music right now, and she pushes so many boundaries with her sound and overall approach to R&B. But this write-up is not about Tinashe, so I will not get into any of that further. Similar to ‘Feel A Way’ and ‘Video,’ ‘More Than A Little Bit’ has a slightly more measured sound than most of the rest of the record. It is still more upbeat than those tracks but does not exactly have the House music feeling of the rest of the record. This is one of the more eccentric-sounding sounds on this album. The melody has a groovy sound that is cold and warm at the same time; it also somehow feels retro and modern simultaneously, making this song so fresh. Unsurprisingly, Tinashe kills it on this one. Her strong and alluring vocals make this song so pleasant. ‘More Than A Little Bit’ is an unusual and amusing R&B track that brings out the best in both Kaytranada and Tinashe.
DO 2 ME(FEAT. ANDERSON.PAAK & SiR)
One thing about Anderson.Paak I have noticed is that anytime anyone works with him, they typically sort of adapt their sound to fit his style. This is totally the case in ‘Do 2 Me.’ If you were to tell me this is an Anderson.Paak song and not a Kaytranada song, I would probably believe you. That does not take away from the quality of the track, however, as ‘Do 2 Me’ is very pleasurable. The groovy bassline and triumphant horns that drive this melody will give anyone the stank face when they hear it, and the intricate drum pattern makes the song feel so complex. The vocals from Anderson.Paak and SiR on ‘Do 2 Me’ are very nice, as they complement each other well and give this track so much life. ‘Do 2 Me’ is not the most original-sounding song on this record, but it is still very good for what it is.
WITCHY(FEAT. CHILDISH GAMBINO)
Out of all the music on this record, I could see ‘Witchy’ being the one that has the biggest potential to be a smash hit. This song has a Pop sensibility that makes it so palatable to the masses. It is a bit more bright and vivid than the other music on this record, making it stand out awesome. The melody for ‘Witchy’ is so pleasant and joyous; the piano riff and synths that create this melody have such an uplifting feeling that I love. The beat for ‘Witchy’ has a Disco-esque feeling to it that just makes me want to get up and jump around my apartment. Childish Gambino’s vocal performance on this song is great. The passion in his voice is palpable, and the charming tone he sings with helps this song be such an earworm. ‘Witchy’ is a track that I would expect to end up becoming huge because of how fun its sound is.
STUNTIN WITH CHANNEL TRES
Like ‘Drip Sweat,’ the previous song that received assistance from Channel Tres, ‘Stuntin’ has a darker and harsher feeling than pretty much anything else on the record. This one is not quite as gritty or shadowy as ‘Drip Sweat,’ but it is a lot closer to that track than any other song for sure. Maybe Channel Tres just has that effect on Kaytranada’s music; it makes sense that the instrumental would be a lot more gloomy considering the low and gruff tone that Channel Tres sings and raps with. As most of this album has a pretty shiny and polished sound, the slight amount of distortion on the drums and melody for ‘Stuntin’ sticks out with much exuberance. ‘Stuntin’ is a super nifty track with a grating element to it that gives this album a bit of depth that it benefits from.
OUT OF LUCK(FEAT. MARIAH THE SCIENTIST)
Kaytranada closes out Timeless on a bright and pleasant note with the song ‘Out of Luck.’ It is funny that lyrically this song is one of the more negative on the record because sonically it is one of the brightest and most vibrant. One thing I really like about ‘Out of Luck’ is how intricate the melody is. There are so many synths and sound effects that come in and out of this melody that make the song feel so complex and full. ‘’Out of Luck’ also has what is probably the hardest beat of the record, giving it a bit more of a banger feeling rather than a bop feeling. Mariah the Scientist sounds exquisite in ‘Out of Luck.’ Her vocals are so strong and bold on this track, and the emotion in her voice is so palpable. Kaytranada seemingly wanted to close this album out on a weighty and striking note, and he achieves that with ‘Out of Luck.
At this point in his career, it is pretty apparent that Kaytranada knows what he is good at. He does not seem to feel the need to think outside of the box or push boundaries too much at this point, as he has already done that for so long and he knows what he is good at. I would say that this sort of hinders and benefits Timeless at the same time. For what it’s worth, all of the music on this album is high-quality, and I would not say that there is necessarily a bad track. There are songs that are slightly more boring or less enthralling than others, but they still fit very nicely into the overall sound of the album. Timeless is the kind of album you can play on a loop at any function because most of the tracks are bound to get people moving. I will say that at certain points, Timeless feels a bit bloated. I feel like if this album was cut down by 5-8 songs, it could be in the running for the best albums of the year. Regardless, Timeless is still a high-quality record with a lot of captivating music that will get you moving, and that is enough for most people.
EAST SIDE VIBES 