Premiering on Happy Mag, Michael Kentoff’s self-titled album sees the DC-based artist deliver adventurous soundscapes and well-crafted melodies.
There must be some level of trepidation that comes with releasing a debut solo effort, but Michael Kentoff’s self-titled project arrives with the confidence and polishedness of an artist who clearly understands what works.
The nine-track project sees the DC-based musician draw upon his experience as the singer-songwriter of the experimental pop group The Caribbean to produce a body of work that deliciously off-kilter moments, electronic dance flourishes and a mastery of pop songcraft.
The album opens with the whirring synths of ‘Ima Try’, which coasts on a bouquet of looped melodic motifs, skittering rhythms and lyrical references to ‘Crystal Silence’.
It’s difficult to distil exactly what kind of energy this opener brings, weaving seamlessly from what feels like sinister moments to something altogether more joyous.
Much of this defiance to categorisation is owed to Kentoff’s unique production style, which can weave between cosmic, sci-fi spaciousness to the kind of propulsive beats you’d hear in a techno club.
‘Ima Try’ is emblematic of Kentoff’s ability to bring his quirky pop sensibilities to an array of more diverse sounds, a pattern that continues all throughout the album.
On ‘Bank Holiday Wknd’, he gives indie rock an anti-pop feel with distorted vocals and squealing feedback noise, while ‘A Tour of Washington’s Jewish Homes’ flows like jazz-funk cut with regal horn sections for extra measure.
Then comes ‘Infirmary Guests Please Sign In’, a ball of glitchy, almost bedroom pop-sounding beats and smooth atmospherics.
It’s a testament to Kentoff’s versatility that now sound feels inaccessable on the album, from the sprawl of densely-layered footwork pop on ‘Everything’s R+D’ to the indie folk-pop of ‘Slight Brigade’.
Tying it all together is Kentoff’s knack for complex storytelling, as the tracks detail everything from his relationship to authority figures to the demographics of his home state.
Kentoff’s efforts culminate on album standout ‘Bcuz U Asked’, which sounds like a dazed reverie with its tout and bouncy electro-jazz beats and layered synth textures.
What all of it amounts to is a project that brims with sonic personality, showcasing an ability to stretch the boundaries of production without the confines of traditional songwriting.
Listen to Michael Kentoff’s blissfully eclectic self-titled debut solo album below.
