- There's something undeniably charismatic about Seven Davis Jr, starting with his intriguing name and extending to his laid-back grooves. He often pushes a deceptively energetic funk that feels innate, such is the casualness of his production style and his voice's natural soul. So his latest EP, Dancing On The Sun, holds no surprises in that regard.
Whether by disruptive design or a poor mix, samples here blare jarringly, which works against the music's otherwise inviting vibe. We're reminded that Davis's strength lies in swing and rhythm. For this EP, he's enlisted friends Silver Tiger and Atari Josh on drums and bass, and their rhythmic looseness, extra rickety, is charming. But it's difficult to tell if Davis is being relaxed and intuitive, or just lazy. He's noticeably lacking an ear for melody—keyboard riffs are simplistic and often naively atonal, as on "Church"—and his use of production techniques, such as hard panning in the left and right channels on "Spliffs," feels clumsy. His vocals are a redeeming factor: natural, enriching, engaging.
Davis could be compared to Moodymann, but he's even rougher around the edges. Dancing On The Sun proves that the pieces are all there. If he ever decides to polish them, he would certainly benefit from more smoothness.
トラックリストA1 Dancing On The Sun (Instrumental)
A2 See The Light (Dancing On The Sun Remix)
B1 Church
B2 Spliffs
B3 Dancing On The Sun feat. Yazmin Monét Watkins (Bonus Version)