Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
After hinting at a comeback for seemingly a millennia, DEAN meme’d on himself in teasers and then actually returned on November 18, 2023 (mark the date!) with “DIE 4 YOU“.
Like many of DEAN’s songs, the production on it is largely atmospheric, focusing on setting the mood and/or vibes, and relying mostly on DEAN’s vocals to carry it. Fortunately, that’s basically what people want, and he’s able to even make a track like this seem denser than it is by expertly layering his smooth and controlled vocal. For a chill track, he manages to also make it emotional, and there’s a quiet intensity buried just under the surface. That’s why, for an artist who doesn’t make music in my wheelhouse at all, I still like a lot of his songs. They’re made for a specific setting and/or playlist, and they usually deliver every bit of what you’d expect from that niche, with “DIE 4 YOU” serving as a nice welcome back.
More than anything, I’m just happy he has returned, and let’s hope there isn’t another four-year wait between releases.
