Jean Dawson’s Spotify bio reads “The life and times of a boy exploring identity, intimacy, and escapism,” and that sums up his sound pretty well. Standing as his debut studio album, Pixel Bath (2020) is a record that asks all of life’s hard questions while maintaining an air of nostalgia and a carefree attitude. With only one feature from A$AP Rocky, Pixel Bath reminds listeners that Dawson is, in fact, still unsigned, yet he has garnered copious amounts of attention. How? With no genre to label him with, Dawson can’t be categorized as Indie, Hip-Hop, R&B, or Trap; Jean Dawson is here to stay and he refuses to be boxed into what the music industry says a young black artist should be.
Dedicated to his 17-year-old self, now 24-year-old Dawson makes it clear that Pixel Bath has no singular sound. Ranging from pop, to hip-hop, to indie, to even punk, every song on this album sounds different. For me, “Triple Double” is clearly the standout track, with mesmerizing drums and guitar that carries the entire chorus while Dawson sings, “I’m better on my own.” Then there’s a song like “Policía” where Dawson, a native Spanish speaker, switches back and forth between Spanish and English to ridicule the police. A personal favorite, the song “Devilish” perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being young and invincible, and for me, the only other artist that can recreate that feeling is Lorde.
In a Vice article, Dawson says “It just became an ode to my 17-year-old-self,” he says. “I wanted to have a soundtrack like here’s the highlights of what I remember of you.”
Dawson’s more experimental tracks on this album have 100 gecs type of synths and crushing drums but with punk undertones much less hyper pop elements. Producer Zach Fogarty who produced 11 of the 13 tracks on the record creates an eclectic mix of beats and sensations similar to Brockhampton off Iridescence (2018).
That being said, if you are going to listen to this record know that you will not be bored for one second. I suggest listening to Pixel Bath in the car at night with friends to fully immerse yourself in Jean Dawson’s raw music and lyrics. If you are new to Dawson’s music, listen to “Devilish” or “Power Freaks” first; both songs give you a look into the universal struggles of adolescence that Dawson is grappling with throughout this album and the variety of sounds that he will use, as well.
My experience listening to this album was an instant time travel back to when I was 14 shrouded in angst, absolutely enamored by whatever emo band I was listening to at the time. Since then I have definitely been chasing that high of listening to an artist who makes me feel seen, understood, and young, and Jean Dawson is undeniably that artist. Lyrically demonstrating that you are both your biggest superhero and your biggest enemy, Pixel Bath is a must listen and Jean Dawson is an artist to look out for in the future.
Written by Sravya Gadepalli