Basquiat Dreams is the new album from Dallas-based artist Johari Turner, representing his first full-length project. The release struts a colorful hip-hop sound, its infusions ranging from lush introspective pop to briskly confident R&B.
Turner’s loose, charismatic vocal delivery compels throughout, accompanied by an assortment of atmospheric synths and peppy rhythmic additions. Hooky structural turns are also abundant, ranging from the lush Frank Ocean-esque twist in the second half of “Ride Low” to the infectious “buy the whole store,” bridge on “Checkmate.”
“Ride Low” excels with spacey synth backing and lyrical yearning to “just wanna ride,” expertly maneuvering from serene contemplation to intense vigor. Similarly, “Checkmate” traverses seamlessly from a dense first half into a more spacious entry. “selfish” also succeeds in its warming, R&B vibes. Meanwhile, the rhythmic buzzing of “for a certain someone” showcases Turner’s brisker talents. Basquiat Dreams is a promising debut from this up-and-comer.
Stream Basquiat Dreams, below:
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“Checkmate” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of August 2022’ Spotify playlist.
