When I say this, know it’s not bait or for clicks. This isn’t a ploy for generational comparison nor is it a stretch to ponder. LIDO’s ULTRAVIOLET may be the most sonically resonant, tranquil and iridescent record since Frank Ocean’s BLONDE.
The LA-based producer, who notoriously worked as the executive ear behind Jordan Ward’s debut album FORWARD, released his fifth solo album featuring a heavenly ensemble of Ward, Easton Fitz, Choker, Dizzy Fae and No Rome last week — and “instant classic” is just the tip of its descriptive iceberg.
Swarmed with warm synths, bubbly melodies and melancholic moods that saunter in between LIDO’s expert curation, ULTRAVIOLET is an amalgamation of emotion in sonic form. Easton Fitz’s performances on “Jet Out” and “Woman” as well as Choker’s “Still Deciding” are eerily reminiscent of Ocean’s expansive bravado and captivating aura within a literal ocean of airy sounds. While the record is methodical in nature, “Bumpin” with Dizzy Fae is a break in the submersion LIDO engulfs you in, crafting a dance-ready bop that feels as if you’re watching fireworks burst in slow motion.
The track’s infectious groove melded with Fae’s silky vocals are the epitome of LIDO’s atmospheric allure, unleashing his full power alongside longtime collaborator Jordan Ward on dreamy album cuts in “Ur Turn,” “Honda” and “Time To Go.” Lido was credited on a plethora of FORWARD cuts like “White Crocs,” singing the hook on “PRICETAG/BEVERLYWOOD” among other efforts, but his chemistry with Ward on ULTRAVIOLET is poetry in motion.
Soaked in the embrace of UV, LIDO’s curation scratches the itch of those yearning for music that means something more than a fleeting moment. Timelessness is hard to achieve, but LIDO makes it look natural — doused in hues — on ULTRAVIOLET.
Listen to LIDO’s ‘ULTRAVIOLET’ below!
