With the experimental ripples of his 2021 debut record, Absolutely, continuing to echo throughout contemporary soundscapes for years after its release, Dijon Duenas’ scope of sonic influence has become increasingly undeniable. The intentional imperfections and raw emotions that captivated listeners of Absolutely left Dijon at the epicenter of this emerging, eccentric sound. Now, following contributions to two of the biggest mainstream releases this past year—that being Bon Iver’s SABLE, fABLE and Justin Bieber’s SWAG—Dijon himself finally reenters the modern musical realm with the release of his long-awaited sophomore album: Baby.
Drowning in fragmented lyricism and distorted instrumentation, Baby is embracing elements of experimentation that Absolutely merely dipped its toes in. The restrained and soulfully laced anecdotes of young heartbreak that defined his debut have been completely upended, as Baby thematically dives into the more mature joys and anxieties of new parenthood, intimacy, and domesticity. Artistically, this differentiation and growth between records is further heightened by the cover images of both projects. Whereas Absolutely is more youthful, bright, and carefree, Baby is darker, more erratic, and finds Dijon’s worldview—quite literally—flipped upside down as he navigates the complex emotions that accompany marriage and becoming a father. This all-around punchier, grittier, and entangled nature of Baby consequently frames Absolutely as a simpler project, but a necessary precursor in Dijon’s artistic progression.
Cumulatively, this bold approach manifests itself through sporadic vocal and instrumental flourishes—sonically fraying away the refined edges expected of a polished album release. Moments of overblown vocals and fractured production within “FIRE!,” followed by the crawling sonic unraveling in “(Referee),” best encapsulate these textural complexities. As an added level of unpredictability, these explosive ornamentations are intentionally short-lived, as Dijon strips away these bursts of production just as quickly as he introduced them.
This overarching sonic irregularity thematically mirrors Dijon’s uncertainty in navigating new aspects of adulthood, as well. Namely, the opening and title track “Baby!,” which chronicles Dijon’s relationship with his child’s mother, gradually fades into glitchy ornamentations and turbulent sound bites that sonically symbolize his own descent into the confusing unfamiliarity of fatherhood. Its following track, “Another Baby!,” offers a similar sonic and thematic pairing. Lyrically, Dijon is outwardly expressing his intimate affection for his partner after their first child together—and when juxtaposed with its decorative drums and screechy vocal embellishments—the track seemingly parallels the constant clash between the highs and lows of parenthood.
Yet, amidst the eclectic noise, Dijon’s emphatic and soulfully laced vocals continue to offer an additional level of complexity to the record. “HIGHER!” and “(Freak It),” in particular, pair his characteristic smooth, almost serene vocals and harmonies with choppy instrumentation and overdriven effects. On “Yamaha,” a similar contrast is echoed, as its kick, snare, and hi-hat pattern—which strikingly resembles the same backbeat of Absolutely ’s hit, “The Dress”—offers a sustained texture that beautifully supplements Dijon’s heartfelt delivery and lyrics about the love and devotion he has for his partner.
The latter half of the record continues down this impassioned trajectory, as the album seemingly reaches its emotional peak with the three-song run of “Rewind,” “my man,” and “loyal & marie.” “Will his love lack light like mine? / Will his brains beg him ‘Be kind?’ ” Dijon fervently pleads at the sonic climax of “Rewind”—a painfully honest and poignant confession about learned behaviors and the fear that his son will pick up on his personal flaws. This awareness of generational cycles and understanding of complex father-son dynamics directly informs the following track, “my man,” which finds Dijon reconciling the previously fractured relationship with his own aging father through emotionally charged cries and questions of self-doubt. These same doubts inevitably begin to bleed into relationships beyond his family, as Dijon vocalizes the anxieties of his romantic partnership and overthinks whether he is worthy of her love on the achingly vulnerable “loyal & marie.”
A brighter, more endearing approach returns for the record’s final two tracks. The funky, synth-led “Automatic” sonically balances muddied bass hits, sustained yet shimmery keys, and samples from GZA’s “1991 Freestyle” while lyrically spiraling into sensual desire. The album’s intimate closer, “Kindalove,” eases more into a floating ambiance, playing like a dreamy disentanglement that touches on the strength of unconditional love.
It is this intersection of innovation and intimacy that Dijon harmoniously synthesizes on Baby: a project that is not only one of the year’s most standout records, but also a proving ground for the unconventional. Further heightened by its emotional and endearing messaging on devotion, fatherhood, and fear, Dijon’s marriage of artistry and imperfection is a resonant reminder about the glimmers of beauty within chaos—epitomizing the deconstructive yet deeply sentimental ethos of Baby.
