Bombastic. That's the first word that comes to mind. Jean Deaux's HEAVY is quite an interesting balance of hyper-masculine and hyper-feminine. She embraces both aspects of her persona, her human self. It plays out pretty well on HEAVY.
The beats are intriguing enough to not drag the album down (something that’s become more and more common in rap and R&B and another thing Jean does pretty well, finding the common ground between rap and R&B and allowing them to get to know each other intimately). I’d even argue it’s more fascinating sonically than the singer. Deaux takes admirable chances with the production. Opening track “JD’s REVENGE” and hyper-pop dance track “Dog” demonstrate how an artist can thread various aspects from different genres together to create something that sounds like it belongs in a century we’ve yet to see.
There are shades and scratches of the original genres, enough for a listener to recognize what they are. However, each track has the perfect amount of innovation and un-expectation to keep listeners invested in the journey. (Where is JD going next? Do I need to bring a jacket in case I get lost on the way?)
HEAVY is a delightful listen that only gets better with each trip around the sun. The only criticism is how sudden it ends, cuts to a black screen after the leading call to action that is “Comin Over.” The cut is so swift, it leads back into “JD’s REVENGE” withing giving the listener a breath to take in the experience. I guess we’ll just have to experience it over and over and over. What a burden! (Note the sarcasm.)