Dawuna’s fourth album picks up seamlessly where he left off with African Family Laptop Musick earlier this summer. Once again, the Baltimore-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, and singer-songwriter presents his unique take on R&B, blending it with elements of hip-hop, pop, and the experimental.
Hopefully, fans of Prince or D’Angelo have already come across Ian Mugerwa’s music. His self-released debut album, Glass Lit Dreams, marked a proper breakthrough, making waves across the Atlantic—where he continues to receive strong support from Manchester-based tastemaker Boomkat.
While that initial offering was deeply introspective, Dawuna has since expanded upon some of his earlier ideas three albums down the line. Several of the mournful ballads from his debut reappear here, such as Love Wants A Family, Love Is…, Be Careful I, and Your Light. His experimental side is also represented via the intro Love and the interlude God’s Love. Meanwhile, his playful, lullaby-reminiscent aesthetic returns in a more uplifting and complex form on Love’s Ekongo, Love Jaunt, and Love for Sly and Brian.
Alongside clear developments within his established stylistic categories—particularly in terms of production and melodic complexity—Dawuna explores exciting new territory: True surprises with its heavy bass, Be Careful II pairs funky synth grooves with a neck-breaking beat, Wet Sheets / Lip Gloss showcases plucked string melodies, and the grand finale Love’s Arp delivers stomping percussion alongside razor-sharp baseline breaks.
Dawuna truly plays in a league of his own. Inspiring, familiar, and unpredictable all at once.
