Kenny Beats has truly carved his own lane as a producer in the internet age. Where many are reduced to a tag on a beat, Kenny has diversified so far that it seems hard to believe he started as an EDM DJ for raves. Having his own clothing brand, his own YouTube show that pulls artists as big as Doja Cat to underground legends like Danny Brown, and doing Twitch stream after Twitch stream, it is hard not to admire Kenny’s drive and passion.
However, despite his many years in the spotlight up to this point, he has only ever produced for other people. Now, this isn’t altogether surprising. The era of auteur producers releasing beat tapes, à la J Dilla’s Donuts or DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing, has long passed. Louie, stylized as LOUIE, is a beautiful return to that standard of before.
Louie may be a debut album, but it is not amateur. Every beat is methodically crafted, every vocal line carefully placed, and the mood is perfectly bright. It may be an instrumental album, but with a run time of only 33 minutes, you’ll be wondering why it isn’t three times longer. Louie sounds like its album cover. It sounds like a beautiful date in the park. It sounds like a perfect day for a walk. It sounds like well wishes from an old friend.
“Parenthesis” kicks off the album with an upbeat but relaxing start. The stuttering percussion would sound strange anywhere else, but here it seems to only bring a smile to the face. If you aren’t dancing across the room by the time the horns come in, then honestly, this album isn’t for you. “Hold My Head” comes next, sounding just as sunny as what came before, but this time the drums are replaced with deep bouncy bass and an energetic hidden feature from Pink Sifu. “So They Say” sounds like the world’s smoothest jazz drumming solo, and I could go on. Nearly every song is as beautiful and bright as the last, and it's hard not to tap along. Save perhaps “Get Around” and “That Third Thing,” which are a bit too mellow and repetitive for their own good, nearly every beat feels perfectly crafted and placed. And although the music is more than enough to stand on its own, it is the story behind it that solidifies it as a must-listen for me.
Kenny Beat’s father was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Trained as a professional radio DJ, it is clear the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. It was listening to the old mixtapes his father created that spurred him to finally make an album. You can even hear snippets of the two talking, from the present and past, all over the record. Louie is not just the sound of a producer flexing their immense skill, it’s a tribute to the man who inspired him. It’s a “Get Well Soon” card in audio form. The darker tone of the final two tracks, “Rotten” and “Hot Hand,” are the flickers of his fear and doubt, but it is clear that he has hope.
Kenny Beats' debut album is touching, groovy and overall, just an absolute blast to listen to. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
Rating: 9/10
Favorite Tracks: Still, So they Say, Moire, Hot Hand.
