‘dnt’dlt’ is AYLØ’s third project in three years.
AYLØ is sonically enigmatic, but one this is sure; the Nigerian singer-songwriter, rapper and producer is supremely talented.
On August 2, 2019, he released dnt’dlt, his third project in three years. The first was ‘Honest Conversations EP’ which was released in 2016, the second was 2017 mixtape, ‘.’
MIXTAPE by AYLØ
dnt’dlt, which continues his bizarre, yet creative project titles means, ‘Don’t Delete.’ It is a blend of R&B, afro-fusion, trap, afro&b, afro-hop and afrobeats. With the album, AYLØ tells stories of love, loss, sex and growth through mostly seeming authentic and relatable experiences of youth.
AYLØ – Paris! (Official video)
The most authentic moments see AYLØ talk about losing his virginity at 19 on ‘Indo Smkn’ and falling for the wrong type on the infectious tunes of ‘xozhu.’ The latter track also witnesses a rich lyrical sample of Drake’s 2011 hit, ‘Marvin’s Room,’ as a vindictive AYLØ wants his ex to leave her current lover for a short rendezvous with him.
On moments like ‘City of Lights,’ AYLØ is an idealist that galvanizes a better world. The album also covers topics of affection (‘I Listen To You‘), attraction (‘Paris‘), appreciation (‘Pretty Mama‘) and loss (‘xozhu‘).
Even on ‘Nintendo,’ a moment that he claims he was not intent on making sense to focus on quality flows, he still discusses drugs and betrayal.
Throughout dnt’dlt, one thing that shines through is supreme production that’s only letdown by the very niche market it will appeal to – he market for its kind of sound is very niche in Nigeria. Even though AYLØ tries to transcend that market with songs like ‘Sassy,’ and ‘IMWTWOTF,’ the sound is still predominantly for that niche market.
However, AYLØ’s growth is palpable as he visibly takes on intimate topics and even idealism with buccaneering honesty and relatability. That said, there’s an underlying tendency for a first time listener to call ‘saturation.’ But commendably, features are calculated properly picked.
Pulse Rating: /10
Tracklist: 1.5/2
Content and Themes: 1.5/2
Production: 1.9/2
Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.4/2
Execution: 1.5/2
Total:
7.
Mixtape Review: ‘dnt’dlt’ is a well-produced diary of honest topics by AYLØ
