Regular readers of Vanyaland are already tipped off to keaton dekker, one of the most exciting newcomers of 2020. Over the past few months dekker has stylized an unfashionable summer with a string of irresistible alt-R&B bedroom-pop singles; catching attention in July with the sugar rush of “ITYK” and confirming suspicious praise last month with the romantic ’80s mood of “Mint”.
Today (September 18), 20-year-old East London-based visual artist, producer, festival curator, DIY disciple, and model hits clean with his new EP the unwelcome series. It was written and produced by dekker himself, mixed and mastered by Tim Rowkins (Rina Sawayama) and Robin Schmit (The 1975), respectively, and features the two aforementioned tracks plus three new jams. It’s lead by release spotlight single “GG,” a somersault of a synth-pop tune that’s rich in enchantment and further’s dekker’s musical diversity and versatility. That he penned these songs as a teenager only adds to the intrigue.
The EP is closed by the weighty bounce of “Try Again,” which upon completion lead to a bit of a eureka moment for the young songwriter: “I remember creating the beat and reacting to it by dancing about in my room, and I hope everyone that hears feels like they can do the same!”
Fire up the EP below, and check out dekker’s visual companion series on YouTube, adding varied sights to the sounds. And welcome the unwelcome series.
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