99.9%

Artist: Kaytranada

Released: May 2016

Length: 59m 19s

My review:

After releasing a string of mixtapes, remixes and E.P's and gaining a mostly underground following Kaytranada then signed to XL Recordings where he went on to release his debut album 99.9%. The album takes its name from his dissatisfaction and indecisiveness in musical endeavours, however none of that is heard by the listener as this almost hour long LP flawlessly floats through genres, with a real emphasis on Funk and Soul and a more than healthy amount of bass.

Aptly named, Track Uno opens the album, an instrumental at 120 BPM that has a repetitive nature and a driving beat and bass, Kaytranada has said this track was inspired by One More Time (Daft Punk) and Genesis (Justice) and it does echo those sounds but with his signature deep bass while being a little more restrained, making it a perfect introduction to this record. Bus Ride gently glides through at 82 BPM with soaring strings and a delicate piano hook before we are introduced to the first tune with some vocals. Got It Good keeps the BPM in the 80's though increasing in energy, the distorted vocal sample creates a cool melody for the chorus and of course that sonorous bass is present again as it is throughout the record, this is the first of many highlights for me. Next up is Together a playful tune that pushes the BPM up to 112 and features vocals from AlunaGeorge and a verse from rapper Goldlink. We smoothly transition into Drive Me Crazy with its undulating melody, simple kick and bass pattern and the light hearted lyrics and stellar flow from Vic Mensa, making it another highlight for me. Where the song might usually finish, instead things are slowed down and we are treated to a small instrumental ending which then, quite abruptly, turns into Weight Off. This track features band BadBadNotGood, who have made a name for themselves blending Jazz musicianship with a Hip Hop production style, working with a wide selection of Rap royalty. This track acts as a palate cleanser, resetting your ear buds rather than your taste buds, stripping away the previous sounds and setting us up to be pulled in a new direction, another highlight for me. One Too Many takes us up to 110 BPM and features Phonte who breezes through most of the track with some soulful singing before laying down the last verse, we also have that ever-recurring low bass and some punchy drums. Then we have another little interlude tune, Despite The Weather that includes a little skit at the end with a few DJ's talking about Kaytranada and whether they know his music or not which is a pretty funny inclusion. It also transitions perfectly into Glowed Up, my stand out song that I go into more detail about below, before we have Breakdance Lesson N.1, another funky instrumental that builds from a sample taken from the 1983 hit Love Me Tonight by Attitude. You're The One was a close second for stand out song, just missing the top place, it features Syd, who gained recognition as part of Odd Future before co-founding band The Internet (that features in my recommended albums at the bottom of this post). They both share a similar style with sounds stemming from Hip Hop and Funk / Soul, I would say that Kaytranada has more of an upbeat trend toward House and Electronic music, whereas The Internet goes down the more leisurely route with R&B and Soul at the forefront, either way each time they collaborate magic happens, a definite highlight. Vivid Dreams has more of a darker feel to it and features vocals from River Timber, I particularly enjoy the repeated lyrics 'I'm falling and I cant deny it' that then get interrupted for the beat to kick back in. Next up is Lite Spots, yet another highlight, this was one of the first singles I heard from the album, it features a lot of Brazilian singer Gal Costa's 1973 song 'Pontos De Luz' although it has been sped up and gets a significant serving of rattly drums and boomy bass, producing a fresh take that feels at home in the club environment and on the dance floors. Leave Me Alone carries on in a similar vein and tempo featuring fellow Montreal resident Shay Lia, this song was made and released nearly 2 years before the album dropped, around the time Kaytranada signed to XL. Last up we have Bullets at 125 BPM that features Little Dragon and rounds up the album perfectly, it encompasses all the classic sounds we have grown to love over the course of the record, a beautiful blend of R&B, Electro and House that still sounds as good as it did on its release nearly 10 years ago, this is my final highlight.

I think part of the reason this album works so well is that there are a lot of great features from guest artists, but it always feels like a collaboration rather than just a feature, each track possesses elements from both original artists, playing to their strengths but fundamentally feeling at home on the album and part of a bigger collection. Although it has a longer than average runtime, just shy of the hour mark, there is plenty of fluctuation and variation to keep even the most easily distracted and unfocused minds in this modern world content and engaged for the entirety of the record. Next year will mark a whole decade since its release and its still sounding as fresh as it ever did, you can almost certainly expect a few new variations and coloured vinyl editions to be released for the 10 year anniversary but I wouldn't bother holding out until then.

Stand out song: Glowed Up 

This was the 4th single to be released from the record, right around the time the album dropped, it features Anderson .Paak who again has one of the albums in the recommended extra listening section at the bottom of this post. The songs theme of glowing up is a nod to transformation, growth and improvement, or in this case getting your justified recognition after the hard work you have put in. 2016 was a great year for Kaytranada and Anderson .Paak, both their albums were global successes, 99.9% winning the Polaris Music Prize while Paak also had his iconic Tiny Desk Studios performance with The Free Nationals, his house band. The tune itself encapsulates everything that's great about the album, it is a fantastic collaboration that incorporates the deep bass and snappy drums, it also features a change of direction for the final third showcasing the diversity of the record in a single song. Also this is ultimately an album that is fun, this is a feel good song about enjoying your just deserves and it hits like that, the lyrics from Paak are great to sing along to and flow over the music perfectly.

When to listen: 

I like to put this album on when I am starting to up the tempo a bit, it is great for getting ready for a night out, having a little boogie to or when you just wanna hear some funky electronic music. Because of its lively tempos and energy I prefer listening to this album in the evenings or nights as I feel it is more suited and better enjoyed later in the day.

Spotify: Listen here

Vinyl:

This is an all round great experience to pick out and play, first off you have the lavish and vibrant sleeve, designed by Ricardo Cavolo, a Spanish artist who draws on inspiration from psychic imagery, tarrot cards and tribal symbols. All of this becomes clear when viewing the two covers, inserts and even the labels on each of the discs, which feature a vast array of equally intricate and enjoyable drawings that perfectly match the energy of the music. The glossy cover allows the colours to pop even more and it is a joy to marvel at while listening to the album, I feel I find some new detail each time I get it out. Meanwhile, what's inside is just as impressive, a full bodied sound that is abundant in bass and sounds incredible, easily one of the best pressings I own for all round quality of the music and packaging, you can find my version here - Discogs link

Other useful links:

You can visit his website for all things Timeless, his latest album that came out in 2024, with extensive merch available and the back end of the tour dates of the same name as well as a few festival dates for this summer - https://www.kaytranada.com/

You can hear him talking more about his early influences, collaborations and finding his unique sound even further in this Red Bull interview from 2016 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfKTcG6rnWk&t=2309s&ab_channel=RedBullMusicAcademy

If you like this try these:

Channel Tres - I Can't Go Outside

Anderson .Paak - Malibu

The Internet - Ego Death