Doja Cat published today new album, ‘Vie’, the same one that will present next year in Primavera Sound, where it is one of the poster heads. ‘Vie’ is clearly the most eighties of Doja Cat: the first single, ‘Jealous Type’, with its new Jack Swing sound, did not cheat.
Doja has influenced the black pop of the time; Names like Janet Jackson, Prince or the duo of Alexander O’Neal and Cherelle (who was already claimed by Mariah Carey in ‘Glitter’) come to mind listening to the album. In fact, I would say that the melody of ‘Strangers’ is the same as that of ‘Luv’ of Janet … only that production leads to ‘control’ (1986).
Rhythms like those of ‘cards’ or ‘gorgeous’ – new single – have the imprint of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis; And we already know that the main producer, Jack Antonoff, loves to play sounds from the past. This time, it achieves an undeniable freshness on issues such as the delusional ‘Aaahh Men!’, Which looks like Prince … and Jessie Ware. ‘Keep Me Dancing’ with SZA -Unico featuring- is not a mere attempt to replicate the success of ‘Kiss Me Elence’, but incorporates synthesizers that would enchant Bruno Mars.
‘Gorgeous’ is one of the outstanding points of ‘Vie’ thanks to a production that joins nostalgic and current sensibilities. The synthetic style of the R&B-Pop of the 80s (I think of Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie) dialogues with the rap codes and the trap, in this co-production of Jack Antonoff, George Daniel (The 1975) and Sounwave, among others, which explores the idea of beauty as a crime, but which above all conveys a great positivism.
Throughout 15 tracks, Doja does not hold the sonic thread of ‘vie’ from beginning to end. Topics such as ‘Act of Service’ or ‘Make It Up’ propose a more ordinary R&B type – and currently that I would not have unleashed in ‘Planet Her’ (2021). Other cuts such as ‘Lipstain’ or ‘One More Time’ swell a repertoire that does not match exactly the level of ‘Jealous Type’ and other potential singles.
And for those who thought they were going to miss the rap of ‘Scarlet’ (2023), in ‘Vie’ there are a few memorable bars: Doja has not forgotten that it is rapper, which was probably not a possibility in a album full of luxurious black pop, with a lot of echo to the ‘I Feel for You’ (1984) by Chaka Khan.
Charging …