The-Dream - Love King

"I'll never be a pop star, I'm too raw"

His solo career hasn't been quite as successful as the hits he has produced for other artists (Umbrella or Single Ladies to name just a couple...) but, even so, The-Dream's three own albums pretty much constitute one of the most interesting bodies of work in recent R&B.
Love King is no exception to this, right on the contrary: his trademark digital sound is intact, with seductive futuristic ballads and mid-tempo songs that seem to constantly soundtrack matters related to sex and love and, well, more sex. The only difference is actually more an evolution than anything else: this time, and from start to end, we seem to be in a constant state of ecstatic high, with an impossible amount of ear-catching hooks, synths and choruses supporting permanently-addictive melodies. Best of all: as complex and intense as everything may seem, he makes it all sound so damm-natural. (9/10)

The-Dream - Panties To The Side (mp3 via The Citizen Insane)



The-Dream - Yamaha (mp3 via dailybeatz)



www.the-dreammusic.com
www.myspace.com/thedreamteam

The-Dream - Love vs. Money

For one reason or another, there were some records which I didn't write about during 2009, even though they would definitely deserve some mention... and one of them is surely this Love vs. Money. Contrary to other super producers (hello Timbaland), The-Dream (a.k.a. Terius Youngdell Nash) didn't leave his best beats to other artists only, saving also some for his own personal use. And if you consider that, among other hits, he's half-responsible for Rihanna's Umbrella, you'll see how much this means. His second album is the best proof of an amazing ability to produce hook after hook of futuristic synth-driven sounds and writing infectious tunes, hitting all the right pleasure centres with a synthetic r&b of opulent and polished production. It may not bring any new particularly new element to the arena, but then again, it manages to gather pretty much every trick and sound that is hot nowadays, blending it together so well that the final result is nothing short of pure ecstatic r&b bliss. (9/10)

The-Dream - Rockin' That Thang (video)



the-dreammusic.com
www.myspace.com/thedreamteam