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Trophy

IAMDDB

2017

Trophy

Release Date:  2017

By Pitchfork

Reviewed November 28, 2017

From the Manchester singer’s Hoodrich Vol. 3 EP

IAMDDB, aka Diana DeBrito, is a singer from Manchester, England, making what she dubs “urban jazz.” “Trophy,” a standout from her recent Hoodrich Vol. 3 EP, shows what that sound encompasses, fusing lounge R&B with soul, trap, and smooth jazz for good measure. The track’s production marries dark piano keys with a stark, twitchy drum pattern, and her vocals toggle between syrupy speak-singing and a choppy rap delivery. At turns her voice recalls the stylings of both Fetty Wap and Bryson Tiller—she warbles like the former on the intro, while channeling the latter’s staccato flow later in the song. But IAMDDB’s songs are far more abstract than either artist’s, and her lyricism can be off-center and unexpected (“Got me love drunk, I’m loose, I am leaning”). “Trophy” is at once a love song, a boast, a subtle threat, and a celebration anthem, all laid out in one long winding verse. It’s rich with detail (“Give me champagne with no glass, yeah I like it”) and awash with IAMDDB’S evocative vocals—a convincing sample from her budding musical world.

7:00 PM · Nov 28, 2017