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Photo:  George-Muncey

Los Angeles-via-Baltimore singer Dijon Duenas crashed onto the alternative R&B scene in 2017 with the electrifying "Stranger." With its emotionally-charged vocal delivery and hazy production, the song was the first of five standalone singles that would establish Duenas as an artist to watch.

The rising artist, who performs simply as Dijon, released his debut EP Sci Fi 1 in early 2019. According to an i-D article, the extended play is named for his love for science fiction and Smog's Teenage Spaceship. Having captured the attention of alternative R&B fans everywhere, it was only a matter of time before major labels began looking his way too.

A year and two singles later, Dijon is back with his Warner Records debut, a six-song project titled How Do You Feel About Getting Married? A recent tweet revealed that the EP is meant to "tide [us] over until something else comes out." The album art, which features what's assumed to be an alien hand, pays respect to his fondness for science fiction.

How Do You Feel About Getting Married?  boasts the same captivating emotional introspection and lofi production that garnered  Sci Fi 1  widespread critical acclaim and adoration. Opening track "do you light up?" features beautiful harmonies gently layered over minimalist production. This is followed by the folksy "alley-oop," on which Dijon fondly croons, "Hey slim, how do you feel about moving to the city? / We don't have to stay forever, and you don't have to change for anybody else."

The apex of the EP comes in the form of "rock n roll." Featuring an infectious earworm guitar riff complemented by heavily-reverbed vocals, the track is a colorful synthesis of different timbres and genres. "rock n roll" weaves together strands of R&B, rock, and pop in a demonstration of Dijon's ability to integrate multiple worlds. The song itself is about Dijon reconciling with his lover's unfortunate disdain for rock.

The EP is accompanied by visuals for "do you light up?" and "rock n roll." Both videos carry a fuzzy, almost fever dream-like quality, which goes hand-in-hand with the distorted production on "rock n roll" and the ethereal lilt that "do you light up?" exhibits.

From the poignant lyrics on "jesse" to the breathy, moving vocals that light up "hunni," the majority of the project is wrapped in themes of tenderness, desperation, and resignation.  

Throughout the EP, Dijon's often anecdotal and idiosyncratic songwriting somehow finds a way to elicit memories and feelings that feel universal. How Do You Feel About Getting Married? is a testament to what Dijon does best: evoke emotions we didn't even know were there.  

Listen to  How Do You Feel About Getting Married?  below: