Jean Dawson Breaks Down Genre Boundaries With “Glimmer Of God”

Jean Dawson has always blurred genre lines. He broke through as a rapper, but the more confident he’s become as a songwriter, the more experimental his albums have gotten. It was difficult to imagine a tape being more sonically adventurous than 2022’s CHAOS* NOW, but Jean Dawson has done it. Glimmer of God, the artist’s fourth LP, is a mesmerizing blend of sounds from different eras and genres. The opener, “Darlin,” is a bit misleading in this regard. It’s a beautiful, funk-tinged ballad. Pretty quickly, though, Jean Dawson drops the niceties and plunges the viewer into the manic “Black Sugar.”

The song feels like a hybrid of Black Messiah-era D’Angelo and Yeezus-era Kanye West. Take our word for it, the combination of the former’s crunchy instrumentation and the latter’s manic pace miraculously coalesce into a wonderful third sound. The rest of Glimmer of God follows suit. Jean Dawson is the rare artist who can pull influence from multiple artists while still maintaining his signature sound. “Slow Heavy Ecstasy” sees the artist try his hand at Playboi Carti-style rage music, while “The Boy and the Swan” is one of the best Frank Ocean songs you’ve never heard. Dawson even croons in Spanish on the elegant ballad “Murcielago.” There’s something for everyone here.

Let us know what you think of this brand new album, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.