Terius Nash, the R&B singer, songwriter and producer who performs as The-Dream, specializes in creating tracks that are triumphant and crushingly melodic. Listen to “Fast Car” (2007) or “F.I.L.A.” (2010): These glistening tunes seem to corral the energy of a rocket ship mid-blast-off. In the late ’00s, Dream’s success matched his sound, as he helped put together enduring contributions to the pop canon — Rihanna‘s “Umbrella,” Beyonce‘s “Single Ladies,” Mariah Carey‘s “Obsessed” — in addition to releasing a well-regarded trilogy of solo albums. But it’s not easy to maintain upward momentum in pop’s upper echelon, and Dream’s new EP, Crown (out now), is carefully calibrated to reposition the singer in the modern climate.
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What happened in the last few years? Crucially, there was a major sonic shift in pop, R&B and rap, toward darkness and cavernous post-Drake beats on the one hand and DJ Mustard-like minimalism on the other. Even when singing the nastiest of kiss-offs, Dream tends toward the bright end of the spectrum, and he has always favored opulent, fussy melodies.
Nash also occupies an increasingly crowded niche. He was one of the first modern professional songwriters and producers to receive a lot of attention for his behind-the-scenes work. These days, thanks in part to his success, scrutinizing album credits for artists like the Dream is commonplace: every outlet wants to be the first to run a headline like “Meet X, The Secret Weapon Behind Y’s New Hit.” Nash helped opened a door to get songwriters and producers the attention they deserve — and a lot of people sneaked in behind him.
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For a new landscape, new strategies: Dream has shifted his focus towards short releases. Putting out music in timed installments worked well in the past for Miguel — who dropped three three-song releases in between his first and second album — and the Weeknd, who exploded on the strength of three 9-track tapes before his major label debut. After the Dream whiffed with IV Play, his last full-length, in 2013, scaled back on Royalty: The Prequel, a mere seven tracks, last year. Crown contains just six songs. Supposedly it will fit in with another short sequel, Jewel, due July 7th, to form a larger project.
Half this EP is a weak gesture in the direction of current radio trends. “That’s My Shit,” the lead single, is a solid attempt to cash in on the DJ Mustard sound, but this is an odd move considering that Dream’s “Make Up Bag” basically arrived at the Mustard formula back in 2010. Crown‘s “Throw It Back” also waves at west coast production with its elastic G-funk bass. On “Cedes Benz,” Dream basically abandons melody entirely to rap over a buzzing beat.
But on the other half of this EP, Dream shows an impressive new dimension to his romantic games. In the past, the results of his flirtation were a foregone conclusion: S-E-X. This is an artist who built “Falsetto” and “Mr. Yeah” around boasts about the orgasmic satisfaction his partners receive and later released a (stunning) internet loosie titled “F— My Brains Out.” On several new songs though, he bypasses the steamy encounters in favor of pleading, fervent love songs.
Working in this mode, he also adjusts his sound: Nash once started singing Lenny Williams‘ towering 1978 hit “Cause I Love You” on the phone during an interview, and several Crown tracks approach the lush intricacies of ’70s and ’80s R&B ballads. “Prime” opens with rich cascade of melody on a synthesizer, which is later doubled by the drums; Dream’s singing soft and low and committing himself completely: “everything and anything I’ll be for you.” During “All I Need,” he focuses on the tender middle register of his voice, which is more fit for entreating — “all I need is you, baby” — than his erotic falsetto.
“Fruition” reaches even further, pulling in guitars and horns — rare textures in Dream songs, which tend to rely on batteries of synthesizers. The result? A sweet, effortless cloud of modern soul. Some artists are good at building on trends, but this one’s better off when he’s starting them.