Album review: dvsn divides seductive and sentimental in ‘The Morning After’

Max Miller
Wed, 18 Oct 2017 09:50:07 +0000
Arts & Life, Music, News, body sile, daniel daley, drake, dvsn, morning after, nineteen85, ovo sound, sept. 5, the morning after, think about me

Toronto hip-hop and R&B duo, dvsn (pronounced “division”), brings a new meaning to feelings in its long-awaited studio album “The Morning After.”

Featuring producer Nineteen85 and vocalist Daniel Daley, the duo hit the music scene in 2015, and signed with Drake’s OVO Sound record label in February 2016. After the major success of its first album, “Sept. 5,” the OVO Sound powerhouse announced the release of its second album on Oct. 13.

What I liked:

Dvsn’s first single off the album was “Think About Me.” At track four, Daley shows off his ability to sing in another slow-paced classic R&B jam in which he let the world know his past flames still think about him.

Self-titled “Morning After” is hands down the song to watch out for. With upbeat vibes and outstanding production, look for this song to be a radio hit. Perhaps the catchiest song on the album, I foresee tons of dancing in the immediate future. The track’s tropical feel highlights dvsn’s production talent.

A more sentimental track, “Body Smile,” pours emotion into this record. Slow and passionate Daley promises to make up for his mistakes in the past. Co-produced by Drake’s right-hand man Noah “40” Shebib, the instrumentals take inspiration from Drake’s familiar style. As one of the highlights on the album, Drake’s inspiration is felt through the song.

What I took from the new album was a sentimental feeling that I think music has been lacking over the years, and it excited me to hear fantastic falsettos the whole way through.

Dvsn has pioneered a comeback of the classic R&B sound that today’s music has been missing. Excellent production and lyricism elevate “The Morning After” overall.

What I didn’t like:

Although the album is good, it isn’t dvsn’s best work. Since it took dvsn so long to release “The Morning After,” I had higher expectations.

In my opinion, the duo debuted too many singles –– with four of the 13 tracks on the album released prior. I felt like I heard a big chunk of the album already, which really lessened the likeability.

It would have been beneficial to include a few features throughout the album, since many of the tracks sounded strikingly similar, but luckily it’s nothing redundant.