Last we heard from Dawn Richard, she had teamed up with Spencer Zhan for last year's excellent ambient record Pigments. That album was a lush and following piece that signaled a new direction for the R&B singer and allowed her to explore new sonic landscapes which felt more meditative and contemplative rather than her expected tunes which typically beckon you to the dance floor. This time, however, Dawn has circled back to her better-known style, but she's not just recycling her old sound, she's continuing to push things forward. "Leaning back into the Electro Revival era, I wanted to remind people that King Creole is just getting started,"Richard said in a statement. "The preface to the second installment of the Electro Revival, 'Bubblegum' is a cocky candy-coated conundrum. Full of sass that only a New Orleans King can have, this yummy multi-genre single is just a taste of whatʼs to come." This is a jam-packed tune that bursts with rhythm and complexity. She makes several shoutouts to her Creole sister Beyoncé, but this is no secondhand supply or pass-me-down track, this is still firmly Dawn Richard. Beats hit hard, snares snap, and her vocal work does summersaults over the expressive rhythms. Nothing on this track stays pinned down. Dawn raps, sings, and (via the video which she also self-directed) shows off her dance skills, injecting New Orleans Bounce motifs throughout while still sounding like no one else. If this is just a taste of what's to come, it's clear that Richard is taking no prisoners or bowing down to any expectations. She's already proved that she can create outside her usual palette, but she's back to showoff at what she does best.
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