JAY AQUARIOUS’s “DREAM REALITY” ALBUM REVIEW

Singer/songwriter Jay Aquarious has always been one to push boundaries. When we interviewed him shortly after the release of his first major project Naked in 2021, the performer was in a process of embracing and solidifying his musical style and image as a genre-bending pop artist, but his most recent offering Dream Reality digs deeper, pushing his non-conforming, larger-than-life sound to the max. 

“When making this project, I really wanted to create something more scenic, more atmospheric yet futuristic, intergalactic and spiritual,” Aquarious shared.

The sultry r&b elements and hip-hop influence of Naked are completely replaced with heavy techno synths, thick organ melodies and touches of autotune on Dream Reality - a daring and exciting change that ultimately adds a new dimension to the artist’s sonic capabilities.

The second track, which shares the same name as the album, sets the stage; With whispering synths and simmering hi-hats, Jay Aquarious sings into a crescendo about manifesting his reality, and finding beauty in moments, before the song crashes into a beefy instrumentation of layered pianos with a blazing falsetto by Aquarious at the end. In layman's terms, it's a dance-oriented groove, intricately made in a way that still captures Jay’s soulful pop style.

“I want people to see I'm willing to play with more than one type of genre,” Jay Aquarious added, “even possibly something genreless.”

Tracks like “Laid Back, Sunny Day” and “Personal Savior” were also out of the scope of the artist’s traditional sound. In both songs, we find Jay in his higher register vocally. Consistent collaborator and rapper Ethan the Clever who worked on select tracks with Jay can be heard echoing the lyrics in tenor on “Laid Back, Sunny Day.” The minimalist, light feel of “Laid Back, Sunny Day” is in direct contrast to the grand, emotive sounds of “Personal Savior” which outlines the thrust of an intense romantic relationship.

“Personal Savior” is the first beat [that was] produced for me and the first spiritual song I ever wrote,” Jay Aquarious explained. “It was supposed to be about a guy, but it was too gospel for that, and I was in a gospel phase. This was one of the most challenging ones to write next to “Laid back, Sunny Day.” I asked Ethan The Clever to help me write the verses on that one - that was my first time letting someone do that. He did so good and sounded so good demonstrating it that I had to make it a duet and put him on it. He’s a great writer and I love his singing voice.

Even in the experimentation and collaborative effort of Dream Reality, it is quite clear Jay Aquarious' knack for creating grooves and songwriting to them is his strong suit. Tracks like “Strobe Lights” and “Immortal Love” are closer to his sweet spot - upbeat instrumentation, an infectious chorus, and a satisfying bridge or breakdown. More specifically the B.O.B and Rick James samples on “Immortal Love” adds dimension to the chorus and gives a gentle nod to Buffalo.

“I looked to my parents for that record and wrote about me and them, and learned not to be anyone’s fool. Ethan almost helped me with that one too, but I decided to tackle it on my own again and finally got what I wanted,” Jay Aquarious concluded about “Immortal Love.”  

Overall, Jay Aquarious’s sophomore project is a colorful display of his musical range. From the soulful pop fierceness of Naked to the otherworldly electronic ballads on Dream Reality, Aquarious’s skill of songwriting and song structure stands through and is very uniquely and enjoyably his brand. Listen to the project exclusively on Soundcloud.

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