Nearly a month ago, rising Brooklyn-bred R&B star, Adrian Daniel, released his newest album, Nightwolf. Which comes off the heels of his mostly critically-acclaimed sophomore album, FLAWD. That he released a little over two years ago and up to this point was his most successful album to date.
Nightwolf changes that though. As the very moody and dark theme of the album about love. Is a very masterful one that’s a truly flawless masterpiece album from beginning to end. That is easily Daniel’s best album to date and shows why the singer, songwriter and producer is one of the most talented artists to emerge over the past several years in the very talented crop of alternative R&B artists. That includes The Weeknd and Frank Ocean. With his very amazing vocals being most compared to those two and The Weeknd even more so.
From the very opening track, Me, with its very cinematic and mellow tone. That builds up to the electronic R&B backdrop that let’s you want to let loose and dance to on a dance floor. To the very seductive single, Nights and emotionally great single, Close. With Nights having Daniel cooing about a love he wants to risk every seductive late night feeling with for just one night. With such catchy lyrics as, “I’m ready to risk it all tonight and leave you with babies. We’re lovers just only for tonight until the morning then we’ll do it again. All through the night.” Really showing those risqué seductive desires that Daniel has, while also really showing off his very amazing falsetto vocals.
Those first three tracks along with the next track, 2AM. In which Daniel really shows off his signature hypnotic vocals and great falsettos. With each track building up from the next one, showing what a truly great album you are in for. By the time you reach the near halfway point of the album with the very smooth and electronic sounding Dimitri Morisseau-produced, Hurt You Anymore. You can really hear Daniel’s soulfully silky-smooth vocals and very amazing falsettos probably the most of any track on the album. The very rich chants, keys and techno-sound providing the perfect backdrop to really highlight his truly amazing falsettos and riffs. For what’s one of those big records that you can see getting a lot of play in nightclubs or night area spots. That truly stays perfectly with the night wolf theme you can see Daniel shooting a really dope video for too. The very electronic sounding, Near You. With its very futuristic sounds and synths from Jay Wright, as well as composing from Morisseau on the production. Yet another record that truly showcases Daniel’s amazing falsettos and his great songwriting ability too. As he sings a tale about a woman he doesn’t want to get to close to. Because if you listen closely to the lyrics of the chorus. It’s almost like Daniel is suggesting they are like a werewolf or other creature.
If you have survived up to this point of the album. You are in for a treat. As with the smooth riffs and keys of the guitar backdrop on the appropriately titled, Survive. Daniel sings about a love he had to fight demons for to survive. Easily one of the best records on the album.This is also one of those standout records that would sound really good live and you can’t wait to see performed so passionately by Daniel. That then segues perfectly into the very vibey and melodic Ashia collaboration, Round Town. A very melodic and harmoniously catchy record. That you will have the great chorus and melodies from the record stuck in your head for days and possibly even weeks after hearing it.
By the time you get to the last three to four tracks of the album. You get one of the more better ending four track sequences you will ever hear in an album. Starting off with Perfect View before seguing to the big R&B/Pop dark-synth vibes of, Love Me. A song and record that’s a cry to tough it through the hardships of life and relationships. Which then transitions perfectly into the very guitar-driven, All of Me. That sees Daniel singing about a love he gave all of his soul and love for. But he realizes it still may not have been enough for. The album then closes with the Thomas Postley, Morisseau and Wright co-produced, You. Morisseau’s guitar playing on the very soulfully soothing ballad. The perfect backdrop for Daniel to show off his very soulfully silky smooth vocals. For the very heartwarming and touching record. That is also the perfect way to conclude such a timeless masterpiece album.
Nightwolf, is not only arguably one of the top two R&B albums released this year, but one of the best albums released regardless of genre here in 2020. That shows what a truly great future both Daniel and R&B/Soul have. Thanks to such talented artists as Daniel, who we can’t wait to hear what else he has in store for the future.