Though he has an ardent fan base, his star obviously hasn’t ascended the way theirs did. When Party released his first full-length album under his current moniker (he previously went by his given name), in 2013, he was being grouped together with contemporaries like The Weeknd (still a frequent comparison) and Frank Ocean. And right now, what else is there? Is Party Ready to Win Over the Masses? Beyond the sound, though, Party’s music is often interior-rooted-about desires as much as actions. Party skews more towards gloom, which could conceivably be a bummer, but alternatively could be a blessing: it could be an unintentionally appropriate soundtrack. What does a person listen to at a time like this? Do you lean into the bleak fog with some Sarah McLachlan sad puppy music or try to shine a light through it with the good vibrations of The Beach Boys? This is my first pandemic, so forgive me, but your guess is as good as mine. (Note that I’m resisting the urge to call PARTYMOBILE a… party.) How Will PARTYMOBILE Fit Within This Distressing Moment?
There are rumors that PARTYMOBILE will include songs with Rihanna and Jeremih, among possible others. But the remix to “LOYAL,” his biggest hit to date, features not just Drake, but Bad Bunny. A typical album only has one or two features (usually Drake). Who Will Show Up?ĭespite his ample rolodex-in addition to the aforementioned artists he’s produced for, he’s also added vocals to tracks by Post Malone, Kanye West, and DJ Khaled-Party tends to limit the number of guests on his own projects. The singles Party has released ahead of PARTYMOBILE-“LOYAL,” “SPLIT DECISION,” and “THE NEWS”-have been some of his strongest to date. On the other hand, he’s still only 26 it takes time for voice and style to firmly click. Or maybe it’s because he’s taken on too much of the burden himself and has needed someone to steer his course. Maybe that’s because Party’s given his best lines and beats away. He’s a stylistic ancestor of his OVO boss, but sometimes it’s unclear who’s taken more from whom (see: Drake’s propensity to slide into Party’s Carribean patois).Īnd yet, to date, a Party project has never quite added up to the sum of its parts. On the mic, his voice is versatile-he can coo softly (“THE NEWS”), rap dirty (“Break from Toronto”), accentuate his Carribean roots (“LOYAL”) or make you forget them altogether. He produces his own songs-as well as tracks for Drake, Rihanna, Big Sean, and others-and on recent albums, his production has arguably eclipsed his writing. By 20, he became the first signee to Drake’s OVO Sound label. He signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell at 18.
Will Party Put All the Pieces Together?įor Jahron Brathwaite-Party’s given name-talent’s never been a question.
Here are four things we’re on the look-out for. And while Party’s quietly left a big mark on popular music in his young career (he’s crafted hits like Rihanna’s “Work” and DJ Khaled’s “Wild Thoughts,” and has done extensive work with Drake), what we know about PARTYMOBILE has us excited that it could be his personal breakthrough. The 26-year-old Drake acolyte is back with his fourth LP (his first since 2016’s partynextdoor 3). But here’s something coming as soon as tomorrow(!) that we’ve got high hopes for: the new PartyNextDoor album, PARTYMOBILE. These days, the immediate horizon isn’t exactly rich in things to look forward to (mealtimes, guarded walks around the block, D-Nice’s DJ sets… what am I missing?).