Dijon - Baby

Four years may have passed since Dijon released his debut album, but ‘Baby’ is a follow-up worth every second of that wait. He’s an alchemical force - his distinctive style now found on the likes of Justin Bieber and Bon Iver’s work, as well as, of course, running through his frequent collaborations with Mk.gee. Returning his cosmic abilities to his own music, on ‘Baby’ Dijon delivers a reminder of his unique ability to create an all-consuming, tantalising body of work.

Dijon possesses a one-of-a-kind elasticity that is on full display here - he contorts into different shapes and sounds, playing with textures until he builds an intricate web of sound. They’re discordant but grounded, shapeshifting from quiet birdsong, barking dogs and everyday clatter to 80s synths and fraught, otherworldly guitar lines. It is that curveball-throwing, ever-changing quality that acts as an irresistible bait. Left-field moments, like the howling heat of ‘FIRE’, reel you in, and the classic Dijon earnestness on tracks like ‘Rewind’ ensures you stay there. The latter is a true peak of the album - full-bodied, writhing guitar that is elevating.

Coiled tightly around a potent emotional core, ‘Baby’ captures a fervency that has defined Dijon’s artistry, and it does so from the very first track. There is urgency in his delivery, bristling emotions seeping into his voice - it’s imperfect, but better for it. Sometimes soulful and honeyed, sometimes bordering on hoarse, there’s a lack of polish to the album that makes it all the more entrancing. There is no sheen over the top of it, just raw, enigmatic talent that needs no dressing up or transforming.

Dijon is masterful in his experimentation, allowing himself space to delve into layers of production and at times wacky sonics without ever losing sight of the energy of a track. The playfulness that spills into the buoyant keyboard of ‘HIGHER!’, or the tenderness of ‘Automatic’ that mounts with the building percussion of the track – whatever that feeling may be, it overflows onto these tracks, making for an encompassing listen. As ‘Kindalove’, in all its straight-down-the-line romantic glory, fades out, it is abundantly clear that Dijon still has that magnetic quality that made his previous work so special. With a willingness to push boundaries and lean into the unconventional with his sonics, without ever compromising on the always-stunning nature of his songwriting, ‘Baby’ is hypnotically brilliant.