Setting the tone with a rippling drum riff and immersive vocal textures, Danny K opens Handsome & Crisp with the conceptual lyrics, “Hair so crisp, I don’t care about her lisp…”
The opus expands into a jazz-rap hybrid, a sound that Danny K is surely cementing as his own. Speaking on his self-produced art, Danny K confesses, “This song is reminiscent of the jazzy trance vibes of Freddie Gibbs, Benny the Butcher & MF DOOM. The outcome is giving people substance, emotion but also lighthearted therapy, with creative sample chops and heavy bars.”
We can hear his references come though in Handsome & Crisp, although it is abundantly clear that Danny K is creating a universe of his own. A lyrical highlights includes the profound, “Sometimes I feel like the whole world don’t even exist…”
We appreciate the dynamic nature of the soundscape and learn that Danny K, also known as Danny Krikorian and Danny K Beats composed the track using a Battery 4 by Native Instruments and Logic Pro X. The rising artist from Orlando plays the keyboard and often creates entirely originally melodies and chord progressions himself.
Speaking in more depth, Danny tells us, “The aesthetic of this song and my recent releases make up The Jazz Rap Mafia series, which includes jazzy, nostalgic, exuberant & rich soulful music inspired by the likes of Curtis Mayfield & The Whispers, this collection takes you to right back to the root of hip-hop; the poetic speak easy. The instrumentation is largely inspired by two producers; mainly Kanye West & Madlib. Inspiration is also taken from Dr. Dre.”
We love the authenticity that Danny K creates with and appreciate the length of the song for streaming purposes, but it has certainly left us wanting more, so we have been streaming his wider discography including Florida Boy!