DOMi & JD Beck: ‘NOT TiGHT’ Review
7.8
GENRE: Jazz
YEAR OF RELEASE: 2022Art often transforms itself in front of our eyes, but we are usually either too busy or too concentrated on other art forms to notice. If thanks to the efforts of artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Willow, pop-rock and punk-rock are back on the radio, now it might be time for us to see the rebirth of jazz through the lens of Gen Z as well. The responsibility is laid on the back of DOMi & JD Beck, a duo signed to Anderson .Paak’s label, consisting of French keyboardist Domitille Degalle, 22, and American drummer Beck, 19. They have been playing together since 2018 and have since impressed the jazz community with their Youtube videos, where they display light-footed and highly technical playing abilities. Their debut album, NOT TiGHT, mixes jazz fusion with newer genres like ‘90s drum & bass and hip-hop. The album brings collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Mac DeMarco, Thundercat, and Anderson .Paak, and it’s set to entice a new audience into the genre.
DOMi and JD Beck are the primary producers of the album, and their sensibility for textural sounds make NOT TiGHT a dreamy, complex yet delectable record. Their approach to ‘70s jazz fusion is alluring and sophisticated: they incorporate drum & bass' snares into the project with mature subtlety and easiness. Tracks “WHAT UP,” “TWO SHRiMPS,” and title track “NOT TiGHT” are the solid result of this mix that flows with iridescence. Stacking your debut album with big names in the industry carries in itself a considerable risk of being outshined. Still, it’s shockingly hard for the guest artists who appear on NOT TiGHT to stand out—Domi and Beck’s production is so filled with synergy that it can be hard to fit into their collegial atmosphere. Yet Canadian singer Mac DeMarco’s voice on “TWO SHRiMPS” falls into place in the duo's instrumentation. His line, “cowboy out on the front lawn,” sung in a gentle, highly expressive croon, makes for an improbable sticky hook.
Lead single “TAKE A CHANCE” reveals a successful mentor-mentee dynamic. The verses where .Paak raps fade smoothly into the chorus where the three sing together, making the track a seductive mix of rap and smooth jazz fusion. The other featuring artists on NOT TiGHT struggle a bit harder to be noticed: Herbie Hancock’s vocoder vocals aren’t strong enough to avoid confusion on “MOON,” and Snoop Dogg’s voice sounds comforting but bland on “PiLOT.” Dogg’s failure to go head-to-head with Busta Rhymes gives the latter a lead in a delightfully concealed fight. Domi and Beck sing alone on “U DON'T HAVE TO ROB ME,” demonstrating dulcet voices and scintillating songwriting skills; “We broke Steven's bass and stole Andy's clothes,” they reference Thundercat and Anderson .Paak, respectively. Though part of a different generation, the duo speaks the millennium language very well—joking about IKEA has been part of a Twitter trend for years. Their voices are as sharp instruments as the drums and keyboard they play, so let us expect to see more of that in the future.
NOT TiGHT is not market-disruptive and it gets tiring at times, but it’s still a jaw-dropper—it wouldn’t be surprising to see DOMi & JD Beck nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys 2023. They started playing separately as children, and though their paths crossed about only four years ago, they communicate throughout the record like two long-time partners. Their debut album is a patchwork of fast breakbeats with heavy bass and sub-bass lines, speedy keyboard patterns, and smooth voices. With a vast but cohesive spectrum of sounds, NOT TiGHT is a watershed in the Gen Z music industry takeover; no planted storyline, no fabrication, just young talents expressing their musicality in a palatable way, blowing life and accessibility into a genre undergoing decreasing exposure.
Listen to NOT TiGHT:
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