If you’re like me you’ve been patiently waiting for Dabin‘s debut album to finally emerge from the ether. And that day has finally come. Fresh off Black Tiger Sex Machine‘s Kannibalen Records, here’s Two Hearts for your streaming pleasure. Add it to your Spotify, here.
While I’ve already written about ‘Lilith‘ and professed my love for ‘You & I’ on air, there are nine more sensational productions that are sure to leave you swooning in his future bass brilliance. Dabin, like many others, uses a lot of live instrumentation in, not just his sets, but his productions too. And while there’s a philosophical connection throughout Two Hearts, it’s his guitar that ties all 11 tracks together.
We start with the title track ‘Two Hearts’ setting up the awesome arc of the album, indicating that this is not a collection of singles, but a cinematic story line. It serves as the opening act, raising the curtain as it were, easing us into the near-future landscape Dabin has crafted. However, the first real action comes in ‘Hold’ a track we’ve had since December 2015. Back then it felt like a bit of an oddity from Dabin, who I had considered a hard hitter. ‘Hold’ marked a more refined approach, and while his storytelling never suffered, this made it even easier. Under Daniela Andrade’s guidance the track soars with a solemn pride, punctuated by beautiful plucked strings. Looking back now it strikes me as the quintessential track for Dabin and Two Hearts, both from a production and narrative angle.
As the arc of the story rises so does the energy. ‘Sanctuary’ sees Dabin return closer to his DnB roots with incredible percussion work, driving the track beautifully. His work with Mree’s, at times ethereal, vocals gives me the chills, reminding me of masters Flume and Porter Robinson. From the anthemic and poignant piano, Dabin proceeds to drops down into a more deliberate groove. ‘Hazy’ lives up to its name almost immediately, filling up your aural canal whether through earbuds or external speakers. Dabin’s guitar breaks through as the singular beacon of light, in an otherwise dusky jazz club.
The guiding light that is Dabin’s guitar comes again to the fore, leading ‘What It Was’ out of the fog. Two Hearts continues to progress with more elements and styles added. It is almost as though Dabin has dosed us with a concoction of all of the genres his music has categorized as. And that’s the beauty of not just this track, but the album as a whole. It uses diverse and even opposing sounds, harnessing them in creative and cohesive harmony. But just as we are getting accustomed to this assortment of sounds, Dabin strips that all away.
‘Helium’ lies stark in its calm and calculated delivery. Lexi Norton waxes poetic, describing an unrequited love. It is the kind of track that not only serves an important role in progressing the story-line, but connecting each element. And while it may appear out of place, it is in fact the opposite. Like any good play there is conflict which insights action, and this is it. The protagonist of Two Hearts has been spurned, and leaving their disappointment behind, they fight back.
‘The Fall’ seemingly comes out of nowhere, smashing out of the slumber of ‘Helium.’ It is wild and out of control. It is Dabin’s most free form production of the album and succeeds in shrugging off the malaise of ‘Helium.’ But this is not a single actor play. As I wrote previously, ‘Lilith’ is a merciless mistress. In this case she is the balloon, leaving the protagonist grasping for answers. And as a philosophy student, I know that asking questions only leads to more questions. It is a sad spiral, one that leaves us utterly vexed.
That’s where ‘Worries’ comes in. While I’ve been taken by the philosophical output thus far, this track takes it to a new level. Dabin and vocalist Koda give us the greatest insight into our protagonist. The lyrics illustrate his feelings as cruel and unfair. An unfortunate truth. He must overcome them, be “carefree, stay cold and uninvolved.” Furthering this inner struggle, Dabin’s productions rises and falls as though straining to suppress animalistic urges. A beautiful illustration of the human condition.
Luckily time heals all wounds. And even though the residue of the antagonist lingers, Two Hearts begins to feel more carefree. ‘I Still Feel You’ strikes me as a new awakening, a day long in the future. The wounds have closed, but the scar tissue remains. Musically it is not dissimilar to the early tracks, but painted through much more lighthearted, upbeat brush strokes. Like its predecessors it too soars, yet with more pride and strength, having learned from its past experiences. The scar has now become a badge of honour. However, this is not its final form.
The grand finale ‘You & I’ marks a triumph for Two Hearts, its protagonist and the track itself. It is massive in its delivery. It beams with beauty, built around future bass vibes, Dabin’s guitar and Jenna Pemkowsky’s vocals. There’s no denying it as the culmination of this 11 track arc. Finally our protagonist has fully come to terms with his unrequited love. The scar has healed, and nothing but the good times are remembered. And isn’t that just the beauty of music? All the bad is instantly washed away. But it too is a journey, that we’re all better for in the end. I know I feel that way after enjoying Dabin’s debut album. It gives me great comfort that smart, cohesive albums can still be created. Musically, thematically and philosophically, Two Hearts is as well put together a piece of art as you could possibly hope.
