KAYTRANADA | 99.9% (LP)

Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and raised in the city of Montreal, 23 year-old Canadian artist Kaytranada is widely regarded as one of the most important new producers in the musical landscape today. Since the age of fourteen, when he first began to DJ and when his brother introduced him to music production software, his output has been relentless.

As he explains, “after he showed me the basics, from that day on I couldn’t stop making beats,” pumping out a beat a day for the next couple of years and soon after self-releasing a series of EPs and beat tapes that quickly began to expand his reach. Single releases like “Drive Me Crazy” with Vic Mensa and “Leave Me Alone” with Shay Lia soon spread his name like wildfire and gained listens reaching far into the millions. In addition to that he’s produced for artists such as Mobb Deep, Kali Uchis, Freddie Gibbs, The Internet, & Talib Kweli and remixed the likes of Disclosure, Pharrell, Missy Elliot, Janet Jackson, and others. Kaytranada soon cemented his reputation and his sound; an undeniable swing of the drums comparable to J Dilla’s, a signature soulful touch in the melodies, and a healthy dose of funky bass lines. Last year he was tapped by the legendary Rick Rubin who has acted as a mentor, eventually signing him to a publishing relationship. 99.9% will be Kaytranada’s first debut album on XL Recordings. The 15-track album includes guest vocals from Anderson .Paak, AlunaGeorge, BADBADNOTGOOD, Craig David, Syd, Little Dragon, Goldlink and more.

Kevin Celestin's stature grew through woozy dancefloor funk remixes that led to DJ gigs, including European dates and opening for fan Madonna in North America. Despite the acclaim, along with admiration from the likes of Janet Jackson and Teedra Moses -- two of the major figures whose material he transformed -- the Port-au-Prince-born Montreal native wanted to be known as an artist in his own right. A low-profile series of digital and vinyl releases dated back to 2010. In late 2014, he graduated to XL as he expanded his production discography for other artists. The dazzling 99.9% follows some of his best work in that nature, including Freddie Gibbs' "Dope House," the Internet's "Girl," and Katy B's "Honey." The album likewise is mostly collaborative, with only four of the 15 cuts created by Celestin alone. During the solo moments, the producer radically flips, with joyous and glistening flair, choice early-'80s R&B from Delegation, and the System-produced Attitude. On "Lite Spots," sampled Gal Costa is whipped into a state of delirium over a beat that alternately whomps and tickles. Separate pairings with BadBadNotGood and Karriem Riggins offer dreamy instrumental highlights. The assortment of vocalists -- rappers, singers, and a few who pull double duty -- naturally results in a diverse set of perspectives, most of which regard love and relationships of short- and long-term natures. Combined with beats seemingly tailored for each voice, the album could have resembled a disorderly production showcase, yet Celestin applies his experience as a deeply knowledgeable selector to stitch it all together with few obvious seams. He excels most at bold modern boogie with spring-loaded drums, zip-and-glide basslines, and radiant keyboards, as laid out for the Internet's Syd and the Foreign Exchange's Phonte. The harder-edged tracks that support Vic Mensa and Paak are likewise accented with sweetening, whether through levitating harmonies or spangly synthesizers. One of the more stupefying instances where Celestin layers dazed and robust sounds is buried toward the end. "Leave Me Alone," surrogate Quadron with bounding low end, brings it home with a giddy vocal from fellow Montreal native Shay Lia. 

Tracklist

A - I            Track Uno
A - II        Bus Ride
A - III        Got It Good
A - IV        Together    
B - V        Drive Me Crazy
B - VI        Weight Off
B - VII        One Too Many
C - VIII        Despite The Weather
C - IX        Glowed Up
C - X        Breakdance Lesson N.1
C - XI        You're The One
D - XII        Vivid Dreams
D - XIII        Lite Spots
D - XIV        Leave Me Alone
D - XV        Bullets

*Audio and/or tracklist may vary slightly from the vinyl version.

Label: XL RECORDINGS
Rel. Date: 07/08/2016
UPC: 634904076511

• Handling Note: **Please allow an additional 72 hours for this item's shipment.**
• Genre: Electronic
• Internal ID: JITRE
• Format: Vinyl
• Format Detail: LP