Drift Away with DEAN’s 3:33

A new DEAN release is always a blessing, and his new single album 3:33 might just be the most heavenly gift yet.

Both new songs, “NASA” and “Ctrl” both feature French producer FKJ, and are the first for DEAN under Island Records. “NASA” serves as the celestial title track, opening with a hauntingly soft piano line (played by FKJ himself in the video). DEAN’s signature smooth vocals lilt along with the piano, lamenting something that has drifted out of his grasp. An easy hip-hop beat kicks in halfway through before the message switches to remaining grounded as DEAN implores listeners to let gravity help them find footing. While still soft, the song becomes frenetic in the end, as an interesting layering effect gives the track an off-kilter feel where the beats don’t quite match up with the piano as DEAN’s vocals swell along with strings. The song then comes to a quiet close, letting the piano take the lead once again.

The music video keeps things simple, featuring DEAN and FKJ performing as ballet dancers dance around them. Overall, the color palette remains rather dark, brightening as the song builds in energy and employing blur effects to keep things as dreamy as possible.

“Ctrl,” which he’d performed earlier this month prior to official release, packs more of a punch, with emphasis on electric beats and a theme about living freely. Sonically and lyrically, it’s everything that “NASA” is not, offering a nice complement to the title track its set against.

Get ready for what DEAN has on the horizon, folks. He’s never missed and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change any time soon.