Album Review: Dawn Richard - "Blackheart"

After a tumultuous 2014, and career quite frankly, Dawn Richard has set forth on a path of redemption with the second release in her heart trilogy "Blackheart" the follow up to 2013's "Goldenheart". Dawn said in a Billboard interview -- "Goldenheart" put you on a battlefield in medieval times. "Blackheart" will put you in a place where you're stuck in a rainforest by yourself, and you realize that you have all this armor, but you have this blood on you as well.-- truer words were never spoken. I felt all alone in the middle of nowhere at the brink of impending doom listening to this album.

Check out this track-by-track review of "Blackheart"

1. “Noir (Intro)"
YES INTRO! I don't think I've been slayed by an intro since Ariana Grande stole my life away with her "My Everything" intro. So kudos.

2. “Calypso”
I wasn't sure if this was gonna be like Calypso in terms of Caribbean music and sure enough it is not. I can't say for certain what is going on with this cartoon voice and auto tune. I thought the intro was just a fluke. I didn't realize this was going to be a continuous and never-ending cycle. It's not bad but...it's not good.

3. “Blow”
"Blow" gives me everything I've ever wanted from Dawn. I've loved this track from day one. And the video is bomb AF.

4. “Billie Jean”
I feel like after the late great MJ all things "Billie Jean" should cease and desist. Like...you're setting yourself up for failure. If it's not

Then I'll pass.

5. “Adderal / Sold (Outerlude)”
I have never in my life wanted to listen to a 7 minute track and today is no different.

I sat, rather impatiently I might add, awaiting some form of slayage, whether it be vocally, instrumentally, spiritually...but alas, all I received was the slowest song in the history of mankind that lasted 8 minutes too long and made my rockstar wear off. Great. How befitting a song title because I most definitely needed an adderall after this track.

6. “Swim Free”
This song legit just put me in a trance.

7. “Titans (Interlude)”

8. “Warriors”
I like this song. I'm a bit perplexed as to why she's STILL using this cartoon sounding auto tune voice. She was most def my fave in DK so I know she has vocals for daysssss...

9. “Projection”
Death to slow songs.

10. "Castles"
Death to auto tune.

11. “Phoenix” (Feat. Aundrea Fimbres)
Hands down. Best song on the album. But the auto tune is doing too much. They both have beautiful voices and sound so much better raw.

12. “Choices”
Still extremely robotic and auto tune heavy but not as soul sucking as the previous tracks. The lyrics are nice. Still pretty miserable though...

13. “The Deep”
She could've given me more vocals but given the entirety of this project I will accept this and not complain. I can describe this track in one word: Beautiful.

14. “Blackheart (Outro)”
I guess Dawn said to hell with lyrics. I'm going to hypnotize you with this good instrumental...

This album is so...slow. But not like "Whitney slow". Just slow AF. I understand wanting to stand out, be different, and cement your place in the industry but this album is lowkey dry, auto tuned to death, and overproduced. And that really saddens me because I've been a fan of Dawn from the very beginning. This album completely and utterly sucked the vocals out of the artist...for the sake of art. Interesting how that works.

Welp. "Blackheart" is available online and in stores NOW.

Natasha Marie