There are some in pop music that really don’t mind sticking to the same script for the bulk of their careers. From one song to another, the formula stays the same, the only real changes – occasionally – coming in the form of different lyrical narratives. To say that Miami’s own Dici isn’t one of these artists might be the understatement of the year, and if you don’t believe me, you should listen to his new single “u n i” to understand completely what I mean. If there were doubts about the versatility and downright experimental decadence of this highly acerbic player before, “u n i” should be just enough to shut down the critics and ignite all the more momentum behind this young phenom’s blossoming campaign in pop and hip-hop.
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/dicimusic/?hl=en
Dici’s vocal has been the main attraction in his music for the last couple of major releases he’s had under his belt, and though I won’t go so far as to say that’s somehow changed with the release of this new single, there’s definitely a more multifaceted feel to the construction of this composition. His awareness as a singer has gotten much stronger, as has his ability to arrange something around a flexible groove as opposed to something rigid and bass-based. He’s never stationary in this performance, and if we’re to learn anything from the nimbleness of his attack in “u n i,” it’s that he’s only going to get better as he explores the different aesthetical channels clearly present in his artistic foundation.
This mix allows for the guitar parts to bleed all over the vocal in the chorus, but it might have been important for this to be the case just because of the colorful edge it affords the harmony. Without the string play being as loud as it is here, I just don’t think we would be getting as much of the heady sonic rush that’s produced with their oversized presence, and, better yet, Dici is the kind of vocalist who can contend with something large and in charge without sounding dwarfed by all of the indulgence. This is a test of his endurance, and from where I’m sitting as a critic and a lifelong fan of melodic hip-hop, he couldn’t have passed with a much better grade than the one he earns here.
https://open.spotify.com/track/3Biq3jqpYSFpYGOfOklF5T?autoplay=true
He’s coming out swinging harder and harder each time I listen to his music, but such is to be expected with an artist who is growing as much and as fast as Dici is. It isn’t going to take long before the underground scene from which he’s drawn so much inspiration becomes just a little too cramped for him to continue occupying its insular environment, and being that he’s so much more than a rapper – a songwriter, a singer, a real-life artist – he’s on a fast track to mainstream appeal much more appealing to both the casual and serious rap fan than a lot of his contemporaries are sporting. There’s more to do, but he’s hitting another high mark in this single.
Cleopatra Patel