Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by Larry Mizell Jr., host of the Afternoon Show on KEXP, is "Talk Down" by Dijon, from the 2021 album Absolutely on Warner.
LA-based artist and former half of the alt R&B duo Abhi//Dijon, Dijon released his debut album Absolutely back in November, perhaps just a smidge too late in the year for listeners to spend the appropriate time cozying up with it for the album to end up on the 2021 year-end lists that it absolutely should have been on. A home-run of a first record, Absolutely is a brilliant blend of smooth R&B and downtempo pop, with flourishes of Americana.
Our Song of the Day, “Talk Down,” is just one of the many highlights on Absolutely. Built upon a shuffling breakbeat, Dijon huskily croons out an arresting story of a couple on a road trip, where landscapes change, arguments ensue, and the radio is constantly playing music in the background. Gillian Welch, the Band, and Liz Phair soundtrack their journey, often distracting the narrator from their conversation who pleads to turn the music down.
Dijon will be on tour starting late April 2022, with a stop in Seattle on May 22nd at the Crocodile. Watch an abbreviated live version of “Talk Down” below.
