With his track record, Louis Celestin, better known in the music world as Kaytranada, could really release anything he wants, and fans and critics alike would see the positives in it. But luckily, he’s never been an artist to half ass anything, really digging into a specific mixing pot of R&B, house, and hip hop genres on his 2024 release, Timeless, the excellent brotherly collab album Kaytraminé back in 2023, and of course, his debut 99.9% which really changed the electronica dance music game back in 2016.
So yeah, Celestin is a master, and lucky for us, a humble one. I’m a little late to Ain’t No Damn Way! , which dropped back in August, but upon first listen, it’s a return to Kaytranada’s more dancy, beat-rific house roots. He even says it’s designed for “workouts, dancing and studying for people that love beats.” I couldn’t agree more.
From the opening vibe of “SPACE INVADER,” the beats are aplenty, diving into that groovin’ vibe of disco house, with a hint of psychedelica. He wanted to make a beat-centric album for the backgrounds at parties, and he did it with a funky track like “SHINE YOUR LIGHT FOR WE.” He’s always loved beats and soul smaples, diving in record crates in Montreal before he exploded, and that vibe is all over Ain’t No Damn Way! You hear Barry White, TLC on the album closer, “DO IT! (AGAIN!).” A terrific vibey album.
