Album Review: Timeless by KAYTRANADA

KAYTRANADA returns with his third solo effort in almost five years, just in time for summer.

Courtesy of RCA Records.

KAYTRANADA started making beats and posting them on Soundcloud in the early 2010s. As a DJ and producer, his sound was a mix of hip-hop, R&B, and electronic music that got many people’s attention. In 2016, he released his first album, 99.9%. It featured guest artists like Anderson .Paak, Syd, and Craig David. The album showed off KAYTRANADA’s talent for making catchy beats and working with singers, which got him to win the Polaris Music Prize.

A few years later, in 2019, after signing with RCA, KAYTRANADA dropped another album called Bubba. It took his sound even further with more house and dance music vibes. Artists like Pharrell Williams, Tinashe, and Kali Uchis were featured. Bubba got great reviews (deservedly so) and won KAYTRANADA his second Polaris Music Prize and a Grammy. Since then, he’s stayed busy making an EP called Intimidated in 2021, dropped a collaborative tape with IDK in 2022 (Simple) and Aminé last year (KAYTRAMINÉ), and produced for other artists such as Victoria Monét, Joyce Wrice, and Mach-Hommy. KAYTRANADA has become one of the coolest and most in-demand music producers.

With his third album, Timeless, he picked the perfect time to drop it before summertime as he continues to elevate his production stature. He immediately captures your attention with a triumphant opener, “Pressure,” and trust and believe; the energy does not stop there. His other instrumental joints like “Please Babe,” “Dance Dance Dance Dance,” and “Stepped On,” the latter having a catchy hook, get infectiously stuck in your head, but “Seemingly” sticks out the most with the Don Blackman’s “Heart Desire” flip.

The features KAYTRANADA chose for this record were well-crafted. “Weird” with Durand Bernarr explores the frustration and exasperation of dealing with someone who disrupts the peace with their eccentric and annoying behavior, making it one of the best songs of the year. He crafts a signature uptempo dance beat for “Witchy,” brimming with infectious energy. The foundation is laid with a pulsating kick drum that drives the track forward relentlessly as Childish Gambino hops on as he feels a woman’s presence deeply, acknowledging her hold over his thoughts and desires, even amidst a vibrant club atmosphere (“You’re bein’ witchy and I love it, girl”).

Tinashe links up once more on “More Than a Little Bit,” which centers around the complex feelings of lingering love and attachment after a relationship ends, “Hold On” features Dawn Richard and builds around a desire to recapture the passionate, carefree days of a past love, “Out of Luck” underlines a feeling of resignation, of being stuck in a cycle of one-sided love with the help of Mariah the Scientist, and “Still” is a mid-tempo groove with Charlotte Day Wilson tackles the complex emotions surrounding a love that persists despite a palpable shift in the relationship, as she acknowledges a change, confessing that “it just don’t feel the same.”

Musically, “Lover/Friend” and “Spit It Out’“ are smooth and sensual R&B songs with a touch of electronic flair. The relaxed tempo and Rochelle Jordan’s breathy vocals create a laid-back atmosphere on both tracks, perfect for winding down or setting the mood for a night out. The instrumentation is layered and sophisticated on “Lover/Friend,” with KAYTRANADA’s signature electronic production adding subtle textures to the background. The rhythm section is tight and groovy, with a pulsating bass line and crisp drums that provide a steady foundation for the song.

“Heard you wanna be my lover

And you can’t pretend.”

“Stuntin” is a smooth and groovy track with a laid-back feel. The beat is simple but effective, with a driving bassline and a shuffling drumbeat. Channel Tres boasts about his success and his ability to attract anyone he wants. He raps about feeling like the best and barely knowing someone, but it's already “time to go.” Tres is also featured on the bass-pulsing “Drip Sweat” on a different energy level.

Other features include PinkPantheress on “Snap My Finger,” but that track pales in comparison to the heaters like “Video” with Ravyn Lenae, the high-energy “Call U Up” with his brother, Lou Phelps, and even Don Toliver on “Feel a Way.” As mentioned earlier, Thundercat reappears on the smooth “Wasted Words,” which deserves a longer runtime, and Paak proves that he and KAYTRA are no slouch on “Do 2 Me,” with SiR handling the last verse in the end.

KAYTRANADA has made rap and R&B more fun by reminding us that music should make you dance. He showed up in the game connecting Black music’s past and present. He brings together new artists and old traditions in a smooth way. Timeless is years in the making. His unique drum rhythms are inspired by the Haitian dance music called compas. But he also mixes in normal hip-hop and R&B beats with crisp snares, and claps punctuate the beat, injecting a contagious groove.

Whatever your plans for this summer, do not miss out on this album.

Great (★★★★☆)

Favorite Track(s): “Weird,” “Seemingly,” “Do 2 Me”