Final verdict: 8/10 ★★★★☆
Danjul is an up-and-coming artist hailing from the land of all that is peculiar – Los Angeles, California. The singer-songwriter has a humble-yet-mighty backlog of singles in his arsenal, but I would say that his recent release “Dirty Playground” is his most promising display of pop craftsmanship to date, all by a long shot – wouldn’t you agree?
Allow me to elaborate; “Dirty Playground” is a song centered around themes of heartbreak and betrayal – more specifically, it is a song about being manipulated to hell and back by a lover. What should have been an innocent affair (a playground) went south, thus becoming poisonous to all parties involved (dirty) – that is the gist of it, I am informed. Yet another thing “Dirty Playground” is is an explosive dancefloor banger – it demands your attention (and your dance skills!) at every turn, and it is bigger than life itself, as defined by its lush and almost cinematic pop/RnB production.
The most attention-catching element to this record is, without a doubt, the prominence of beatboxing as a mode of percussion. It gives this anthem a human edge, and paired with Danjul’s soulful voice, it juxtaposes what should be corporate club music with an undeniable aura of authenticity – yes, psychoacoustics do matter! I am at the dancefloor to get down and dirty to some seriously danceable stuff, and “Dirty Playground” fits the bill effortlessly without sacrificing raw emotion or grit.
Come to think about it, the dancefloor is in itself a Dirty Playground of sorts. It’s always covered in sweat, blood, what have you… I prefer not to think about it.
To all nightclub owners out there; get Danjul on your playlists, otherwise you are not doing it right and I will not be partying at your place. Trust me, you need me at your party. Consult the party police – they know me well.
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