Before very long, we're likely to all find ourselves wrapped in the furore of Christmas. With the new year fast approaching (but the craziness of the festive season yet to fully manifest), now feels like an appropriate time to take stock of the music that's shaped our 2024.
Over the coming weeks, our staff writers and contributors will shed light on their favourite albums from the last twelve months. Next, Lissy reviews the debut LP from Gordo released on the mighty Ultra.
Artist: Gordo
Title: Diamante
Label: Ultra Records
Released: 26 July
Sounds like: A collection of tracks you'd want to hear as the sun rises over an Ibiza terrace.
Gordo
With over two decades of DJing experience and a career marked by chart-topping hits, Gordo stands at the crossroads of musical innovation and cultural heritage. He's carved out a unique space as a genre-blurring producer, shaped global hits for icons like Migos, Mac Miller and Drake, and has thus established himself as an in demand artist and force to be reckoned with.
Born of Nicaraguan-American roots, Gordo's productions weave together his upbringing and a wide range of sounds, from the world of dance to Hip-Hop, Reggaeton and Pop. Previously known as DJ Carnage, he first rose to prominence in the mid-2010s, pioneering House and other club-ready sounds, while experimenting with Latin styles.
Spanning four years of studio time, Diamante recounts an artist evolving from behind-the-scenes hitmaker, to a place at the table at the forefront of the scene.
Diamante
Combining trickling melodies and layered vocal effects, album opener Guard Down sets the tone. Here, Gordo plays with pitch. Alice Aera's standout vocals provide emotional depth to the track's slow build. It oozes serious KEINEMUSIK vibes.
Then there's HoneyLand, a collaboration with Ibiza new-comer Afshin Momadi. The track features a striking piano break midway and has an energy that escalates like an early morning Ibiza dancefloor moment.
T-Pain! Now there's a throwback. Target uses his favoured pitched down vocal, the technique of which seems to be coming back into fashion (cough, cough, PAWSA). The overall vibe is of a similar pace to the previous two tracks, but but has a nice little bop to it.
Let's now discuss the elephant in the room (or perhaps the diamond centerpiece of the album), Drake. Fans of Drake's House-leaning 2022 album Honestly, Nevermind will feel right at home here. His dual Midas touch contribution on Sideways and Healing are album highlights.
Each feature showcases the Canadian rapper's ability to blend his signature emotional delivery with Gordo's intricate beats. Speculation that these are Kendrick diss tracks are unfounded. In reality, it's Drake doing what he does best, pouring his heart out on record.
Sideways alone has accumulated a whopping 40,000,000+ streams on Spotify. It's the one I've had on repeat all summer - and unashamedly so.
Gordo's Nicaraguan heritage meets dancefloor magic towards the album's mid-section. Reggaeton and Latin influences come to the fore here. Cafecito, featuring Nicki Nicole and Sech, is a celebratory nod to his ancestry, blending smooth vocals with plenty of Reggaeton swagger.
NENE, with Fuerza Regida, switches things up with an upbeat, breakbeat energy, while Hombres y Mujeres adds to this interlude of sultry Reggaeton-House vibes.
Meanwhile, Parcera, a moody late-night track featuring Maluma, fuses traditional Latin and dance music elements, was used to tease the album release as far back as 2023.
People's choice Hombres Y Mujeres is the track that has even managed to eclipse Sideway's number of plays. Gordo has tapped into a worldwide audience with this one, in no small part thanks to Feid's slick vocal.
The album isn't all high-energy bangers. There's plenty of depth and reflection. Tracks like Lake Como and Candid Zone provide these glimpses of contemplation.
Californian rapper Larry June's spoken word on the former adds a sophisticated, understated touch, while Leon Bridges' soulful delivery on the latter melds perfectly with Santana-esque guitar riffs and funk-tinged basslines.
These examples highlight Gordo's ability to slow things down without losing focus.
Conversely, Take Control and Easier layer vocals and beats into festival-ready anthems. Rumour has it that an uncredited Rampa worked on Easier. Take Control is a production in the CAMELPHAT or Tale Of Us mould. You could imagine either of those two acts playing it out.
WDYM offers a chilled-out moment as the album is drawing to a close. Karolina Falk's ethereal vocal add a depth capable of evoking an emotional trance on the dancefloor.
Diamante feels like an album crafted for the after party. It might not always bring the same high-octane energy as one of his club sets, but that's the point.
Highlights: Sideways, Lake Como, Parcera, Hombres Y Mujeres
Diamante is out now and available to stream and purchase on all reputable platforms.
