Black Atlass- Dream Awake

Black Atlass is the alias of Alex Fleming, a singer and songwriter from Montreal. Co-signed under the XO label, Black Atlass has a similar sound as The Weeknd with the moody R&B and his falsetto voice. Dream Awake, his second studio album, tells the story of two people getting to know one another before transitioning their newfound feelings of affection from lust to love. The album features the same mystical falsetto and hazy atmospherics that make it perfect for a midnight listen.

 Here are my favourites from the album:

• Never Enough- throughout the track you feel a sense of longing in the voice of Black Atlass which are laced perfectly over a moody production backed by piano keys and your go to trap drums. A very good start to the album, taking us ahead in the story of this project.

• Do For Love- a very familiar melody to begin with this song has one of the most catchy hooks of this project. With the moody drums and hi-hats this track gets you singing to it in no time.

• Night After Night- this song gives you strong Weeknd vibes. The synths give it a dark undertone which is one of the staples of Abel’s music and Black Atlass nails the vocal delivery. He’s reaching the high notes easily and effortlessly. One of the best songs in his discography.

• Sin City- this song describes a night in Sin City with drugs, parties and fancy cars. The production on this is one of the highlights of this project. The instruments start very aesthetically followed by drums which creates a very dreamy vibe for the track.

• By My Side- the only song with a feature on this album ‘By My Side’ is a love ballad. The production continues the moody theme of the album with light drums accompanied by soft synths. It’s a beautiful song and perfect for when you’re driving around the city at night.

• Weak- the influence of The Weeknd on this track can be seen from the second it starts. The high-pitched vocals and the moody production make this track goregous. Black Atlass needs to make more songs like this!!

• Close Your Eyes- this song has one of the best beats in the entire album. The production is punchy and bold, which makes Black Atlass’s voice shine more than it usually does. This song is the perfect album closer to a great record.

While the project doesn’t take any risks, it is a cohesive piece of work from an artist best enjoyed in the late night hours, a solid effort by an upcoming musician who one day hopes to rise to the same tier of success as his predecessors. I would have loved to see him take some harder beats but that will happen over the course of time. Right now it’s a good body of work and I would give it a 7/10.