Album Review: Dirty Bird’s Self-Titled LP
What we think of the indie producer’s latest full-length project.
“The role of fantasy in liberation is huge. We are tasked with creating something that we can’t really see. Building the plane while it’s flying.”
Twitter muse, Moodyman stan, Tekken grinder, Afrofuturist, and modern house music heavyweight—Dirty Bird (Also known under the moniker "gum_mp3" on his popular Twitter profile) might be one of the best new artists you'll hear this year.
Motivated by the severely whitewashed state of house music, the NYU alum has worked tirelessly to produce a deep discography of textured, groovy, and fresh tracks that capture the essence of what house music is about: joy, resistance, and community.
Releasing nearly an album every couple of months since he first came onto the scene with A/V Club in 2019, Dirty Bird has cultivated a sound that is immersive, carefree, and impossible not to at least two-step to. Combine that with an eye for beautifully quirky visuals, and it's easy to see why Dirty Bird is at the forefront of a new wave of Black artists who refuse to be boxed in.
Dirty Bird's most recent self-titled album is yet another example of his prowess as a noise machine. The tight eight-track indietronica package is densely interwoven with quirks, personality and masterful production. Throughout the album, Dirty Bird proves his hitmaking capabilities, showing his ability to set the tone for the underground jungle, house and garage scene time and time again.
The opening track “Midnight” immediately transports the listener to the eclectic digital world of Dirty Bird, with eerie synths and an energy-charged drum kit that has become his signature.
Dirty Bird in 2021. Image property of @coolyfooly_.
Other highlights included the lively “Atomic Feeling”, the laid back “Gurl”, and our personal favourite, "Oasis”: a glowing example of Dirty Bird's dexterity as a producer. The most notable song is probably “MIKE’s Track”, which features a fellow Black underground superstar, New York rapper MIKE spitting over a brisk, muted jazz-soaked beat.
It's well past time to get tapped into Dirty Bird. The man works relentlessly to set new standards for what house music is and can be. And most importantly, he's doing it for the niggas. Watching the self-proclaimed Noise Machine cultivate and expand his craft has been such a privilege. We can only wait and see what he imagines next.
Older Dirty Bird tracks we recommend – Ol' Dirty Tape, Brainworks, FM/AM, Seen It Before, and Cartz 3.
8.2/10
Be sure to stream the Dirty Bird LP on Spotify and Apple Music here.