DE’WAYNE’s third album ‘
june’ explodes out of the gate with ‘
lady lady’, a bright, bold slab of 70s/80s-style synth-rock that practically begs to be played at full volume. It’s the perfect opener for a record that’s all about maximalism, swagger and, crucially, fun.
Title-track ‘june’ follows, still drenched in vintage textures but switching up the mood. Throughout the album, DE’WAYNE commits completely to this technicolour retro-pop vision – think the neon-soaked ambition of Conan Gray’s recent 80s homage, but shot through with rock star grit.
‘
Highway Robbery’ is another highlight, built on finger snaps and slinky percussion, with DE’WAYNE sounding like he’s having the time of his life. That sense of unfiltered joy is contagious; you can practically hear the grin in his voice as he barrels through track after track.
Elsewhere, ‘
Sundays’ takes things into more heartfelt territory, pairing soaring synth lines with a raw, confessional vocal that echoes a synthier Sam Fender. Then there’s ‘
Forever’, which shimmies into disco mode without ever losing the album’s swagger.
