Numbness has been a theme in R&B – and now pop – lately, thanks in part to hometown antihero the Weeknd, whose misanthropic after-hours adventures helped nudge the romance-obsessed genre into darker corners. The cold, macho, repetitive beats of Atlanta trap music have also become a ubiquitous force, soundtracking a new generation of singer/rappers who can’t feel their faces.
So if the Weeknd sparked the trend, let’s hope the debut of Toronto’s dvsn (pronounced “division”) provides the antidote. The quasi-mysterious group, which comprises Drake-affiliated producer Paul “Nineteen85” Jefferies and singer Daniel Daley (and perhaps others), is the latest act to unapologetically flaunt a 90s R&B obsession.
But unlike many of their peers, dvsn go for the jugular, convincingly channelling the warmth, grace and precision of 90s staples Jodeci and Brownstone on their Sept. 5th album by mixing classic gospel-R&B vocal arrangements with modern touches – liquidy sub-bass, trappy hi-hats, moody reverb – that deepen their babymaking slow jams without overwhelming.
It’s hard not to feel elevated listening to Daley’s falsetto ad libs intertwine with cascading female choral lines on stand-out singles Too Deep and Hallucinations, but even when carrying a song alone, dvsn’s aim is to exalt and celebrate the ecstatic pleasures of the voice. Refreshingly, they’re not only about slick production atmospherics, though some cavernous sonics and electro rhythms threaten to steal the show around the album’s midpoint.
Lyrically, dvsn’s primary concern is sex, love and more sex. Their intentions are as plain as their references, though the bittersweet Angela nods to the Elliott Smith song Angeles in a way that hints at a loftier metaphor and wider influences. Now that they’ve established a sound so beautifully on Sept. 5th, it’ll be interesting to see how deep dvsn take it from here.
Top track: Too Deep
