Daniel Caesar returns with the enchanting 'NEVER ENOUGH'
“I think I found the sweet spot with this album”, says R&B artist Daniel Caesar about his fourth LP, NEVER ENOUGH. In 2017, Freudian was released, along with substantial success towards the songwriter. His last release in 2019 came with controversy, bringing Caesar into a period of social solitude, and copious amounts of time to reflect and create. Now, Daniel Caesar has dropped a graceful body of art, proving his talent and diversity, with NEVER ENOUGH.
On ’Valentina’, one of the more exciting but shorter songs on the album, Caesar says straightforwardly, “From the first time I looked in your eyes / I knew that I would find a way to make you mine”. The attention of the song, however, is that his muse already has a man, leaving Caesar to deal with the disillusion that looms over his emotions.
‘Toronto 2014’ embraces nostalgia. Caesar talks about the search for a feeling that might not fulfill him in the way he expected. The singer wishes he could be brought back to the simpler life he had before fame.
‘Always’ and ‘Cool’ are two of the most ethereal songs we hear on NEVER ENOUGH. On the former, Caesar’s effortless vocals float over a light drum beat, singing, “I’ll give you time and space / Just know I’m not a phase / I’m always”. This song embodies the longing and isolation that comes with a lost love. ‘Cool’ focuses more on the intimacy of only wanting to open up to your person. Caesar expands on loneliness and not being understood for his genuinity, but then allowing himself to break his walls down when he’s comforted by someone who truly sees him.
The hypnotic ‘Buyer’s Remorse’, takes on a more techno sound from Caesar. With the help of Omar Apollo, the track is laid back, yet animated.
‘Shot My Baby’ is the underdog of the record. It starts off raw, only to drop one of the hardest beats that Caesar has made. The track is anything but consistent, keeping listeners on their toes throughout its entirety.
The transition from ‘Pain Is Inevitable’ to ‘Homiesexual’ strings the album together with its coherency. Ty Dolla Sign’s feature on ‘Homiesexual’ ties the song together and adds a flare that excites the track. Both artists flawlessly rip vocal runs to almost jealous lyrics about an old lover exploring someone new.
‘Superpowers’ and ‘Unstoppable’ could be tracks off of Freudian, as they most resemble love songs. ‘Superpowers’ may be what leads up to the latter song, as it commends his muse. Caesar writes, “You’re just like a flower / You’re ever-giving, that’s a given”. ‘Unstoppable’ begins as a song about this powerful couple, motoring through their tough times. As the song unfolds, so does the relationship, with Caesar closing the album, “I know you think you’ve got me / But you lost me”.
NEVER ENOUGH, running nearly an hour long, is the pinnacle of Daniel Caesar’s music. It embodies a different energy than he’s explored before, edging away from just love songs. Stream NEVER ENOUGH on all platforms now!