Stonebwoy ADD

Review

EP Review: D'Yani - MUSE

02/28/2025

You’d be forgiven for thinking that D’Yani would already have had multiple full-length releases under his belt, given he is a well-known name in the industry. However, that’s not the case – as he’s just released his debut EP.

Muse, released via 9X Music, sees this accomplished artist deliver seven tracks which showcase his abilities as a singer/songwriter. As he told Reggaeville’s Munchy:

“Basically, the project is geared towards my most loyal fanbase which is females, women. Essentially just a women empowering sound, focusing on different aspects of love, different aspects of my muses, whether it be sensuality, whether it be love, whether it be intimacy, whether it be life. It’s just my observation of these experiences that I’ve been through over the period of my life. That’s what the muse is for me. It’s not necessarily a person. It’s the different experiences that I’ve been through with different persons, different people”.

Across the EP, D’Yani cements the sounds that he’s become well-known for across previous cuts such as Feelings with Jada Kingdom: that Jamaican-influenced RnB sound which merges the vibes of the island with African musical influences and US Soul sensibilities. The mastering by Grant Berry is slick and effective: focusing on rhythm sections and vocals while giving breathing space for the other instrumentation to come through.

The opening and title track Muse, with production from Christon Forbes, encapsulates the sound across the entire EP – where stuttering, Afrobeats-inspired drums meet RnB musical vibes across a sumptuous arrangement. Here, the sound is brooding, as an ominous bassline glides through delicate keys while D’Yanii’s gruff vocal weaves in an out. You could almost say this, and the entire EP, were Ambient RnB; that is, what used to be called Neo Soul – where genres are smashed together to produce something inspired, as Muse is.

The previously released, Fuze-and Vivaa Cee-produced Ambience sees this Ambient RnB sound progress further into broader Afrobeats territory but still with inflections of RnB – and with some slick Dancehall influences throughout, like the use of synths and the heavily-broken rhythmic clave. D’Yani mixes up the vocal here – providing a slick Jamaican singjay across the verses and a soulful vocal on the chorus. Background vocals from the always on-point Sherieta Lewis round the track off perfectly.

Lock N Key is more Afro-RnB vibes with production from Markus Records (Buju Banton’s son), but with a broken Dancehall clave in the mix – so, we’re really leaning into AfroDancehall here. There’s some great arrangement across acoustic guitars which hone the African sound, but which are then juxtaposed with Jamaican-inspired electric ones, too. The use of a balafon synth is inspired and D’Yani once again mixes his vocal – here, using the upper end of his tenor range along with a smooth falsetto to provide a more urgent performance.

Life’s Amazing (Remix) featuring Stonebwoy and the House Gospel Choir, and produced by UK outfit Fanatix, is perhaps one of the more surprising tracks of the album, as D’Yani moves into straighter Afrobeats territory with an uplifting, light-touch arrangement. However, it also feels somewhat AfroHouse due to the four-to-the-floor kick. At points, the stripped-back arrangement is haunting, while at others richness comes through, amplified by horns and strings – creating wonderful light and shade. Stonebwoy is superb, D’Yani matches his vocal with prowess, and the House Gospel Choir bring finesse to what is a brilliant track.

Dangerous is produced by Fanatix and cleverly samples Soul singer Kelly Price’s 2000 hit Love Sets You Free - turning it into modern Afroswing – where Afrobeats meets Hip Hop (or here, some Trap vibes) and soulful vocals. D’Yani swaggers around the musical backdrop with aplomb – not overexerting himself – and the whole thing is smart and fresh. Then, the brief Shame with production from Joffstar leans back again into the AfroDancehall sound with its broken rhythmic clave, but gently so - as the beat is split across the kick, bass, and snare – creating a lighter sound. The inclusion of an electric organ and lilting guitars offset the frantic beats, and D’Yani shimmers across a mixture of straight vocal and singjay.

The EP closes with Amen, produced by Mari the Producer, and is perhaps the most forthright AfroDancehall track of the EP, giving us an idea of where D’Yani could go if he steered himself more into this sound as opposed to the RnB-orientated cuts. Here, the track is forward-moving across that signature AfroDancehall clave (oneeeeee-twooo-and-[three]-and-fourrr), with the minor key and weather samples creating a brooding tone – compounded by a screeching electric guitar across the bridge. But this track is D’Yanis show, as he delivers a highly complex vocal where rhythmic intricacy meets melodic interest, and he pulls it off perfectly – showing just why he’s considered one of the best talents to come out of Jamaica recently.

Overall, while musically deft, lyrically Muse is also interesting in terms of D’Yani’s explorations of love. From Muse’s ‘musing’ on the complex spiritual relationship between one person and another, to the sensual ambience of Ambience’s exploration of sensuality, and Amen’s ‘love lost’ sermon amid the strife of a relationship falling apart, D’Yani covers it all. The odd one out is, of course, Life’s Amazing - where thanks is given for everything that is had. As a concept piece, though, the EP works well and D’Yani shows himself to be a well-rounded poet.

Muse as an introduction to D’Yani is perfect. Here, we have an artist on the cusp of greatness – and across the record’s seven tracks he teases us with that. Vocally he is gifted, musically the sound that’s been created is both inventive and engaging, and overall D’Yani should be destined for great things.