Duke Dumont - 'Duality' [Album Review]

Duke Dumont has been producing infectious club hits for quite a few years and now, to have his debut LP ‘Duality’ finally at our fingertips, it’s the club surge we’ve all been waiting for.

This album is split into two parts. The first part is full of certified bangers, with a heavy house track kicking things off with a bang! ‘Therapy’ has a stunning vocal track, which most of us would have heard earlier this year when it was released as a single. The thumping beat and surging synths elevate the vocals and the only thing you want to do when ‘Therapy’ plays, is dance. The second single of the album, ‘The Power’, was also released as a single, so many of us have already found Zack Abel’s vocals, the steady beat and the powerful horns that burst through with the chorus.

After ‘The Power’, we slide into ‘Obey’, a collaboration with New Jersey artist Roland Clark. This track is a bit sneaky and slowly creeps in with some eerie synths before a VERY low vocal track tells you to “obey”. This track has a bit of a robotic feel with sharper samples and trickling synths bringing in a more digital vibe. Its sharp, almost piercing, but it’s still so damn good!

‘The Fear’ is Duke Dumont’s collaboration with Niia and this is where the album starts to turn into more emotional territory. The melody is atmospheric, the samples hover around Niia’s vocals like smoke and a sweet acoustic guitar track gives ‘The Fear’ a vulnerable element that brings the whole track together so nicely. ‘Nightcrawler’ features the vocals of Australian duo Say Lou Lou and follows on with the more chilled out vibes on ’The Fear’. This track has more of a disco influence with a groovy guitar, snappy snare and honestly, the melody feels like glitter washing over Say Lou Lou’s vocals. It’s so glamorous and gorgeous – this is a song that feels like a ‘70s summer party.

Now, do I really need to say anything about ‘Ocean Drive’? This is the song that cemented Duke Dumont as one of the best producers on the planet. It’s groovy, its smooth, it’s refreshing no matter when you listen to it – it’s a masterpiece!

‘Together’ is another wonderful collaboration, but this time features the rich vocals of How To Dress Well. This track feels a bit more experimental with brilliant harmonies balancing out vibrant synths and sparkling samples. It’s a burst of sunlight really, with a powerful drum track that just fills it with so much power and light. ‘Love Song’ fells very similar to ‘Together’, because it feels very uplifting. The main difference here though, is that this track lets the melody speak for itself with only a small vocal track playing throughout. You know this song comes straight from the heart; it pulls at the heartstrings without having to tell you a story with lyrics. When that happens, you know a song is really affecting you.

‘Overture’ is a 59-second track no one saw coming. It’s a proper classical overture filled with a gorgeous piece of music. I didn’t see a strong classical number appearing on a club album, but holy hell. It may just be my favourite piece! ‘Overture’ blends into ‘Let Me Go’, the closing track of ‘Duality’. This track has the piano pushing Ry X’s vocals and the haunting harmonies forward and it’s a magnificent way to close the album. ‘Let Me Go’ is so raw and so emotional and as the synths begin to build, bringing in the strong production Duke Dumont is known for, you get a real sense of just how far he has come in his career and that you’re listening to something special.

‘Duality’ encompasses everything wonderful about Duke Dumont. There is so much talent in this one man and his musical knowledge is presented to us here with a versatile collection of tracks that will surely live on for years to come. You cannot forget an album as incredible as this.