Kaytranada’s “To Exercise, Dance & Study” Album Review
- A stimulating blend of House, Hip Hop, and Funk from the Haitian-Canadian producer.
- "Ain't No Damn Way!" inevitably draws comparisons to Kaytranada's previous album, "Timeless," which received a Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album.
- Primarily instrumental, "Ain't No Damn Way!" is a tribute to unconventional beats and compelling bass lines.
Kaytranada Releases “Ain’t No Damn Way!” Album
Table of Contents
A stimulating blend of House, Hip Hop, and Funk from the Haitian-Canadian producer.
An Illustrious Precedent: Following ”Timeless”
“Ain’t No Damn Way!” inevitably draws comparisons to Kaytranada’s previous album, “Timeless,” which received a Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album. “Timeless” featured a galaxy of stars, including Don Toliver, Tinashe, Dawn Richard, Anderson .Paak, Childish Gambino, Thundercat, Pinkpantheress, and Mariah the Scientist. To highlight the intricate beats, kaytranada released an instrumental version of “Timeless” earlier in 2025. His production prowess extends beyond his own albums, as demonstrated by his work with Justine Skye (“Oh Lala”), the British R&B trio Flo (“The Mood”), and remixes for Mariah Carey (“Don’t Forget About Us”) and JT (“Ran Out”).
More Instrumental: A Focus on Beats and Bass
Primarily instrumental, “Ain’t No Damn Way!” is a tribute to unconventional beats and compelling bass lines. kaytranada’s primary goal was to enjoy the creative process. In an interview with ‘Hypebeast’, he expressed his intention to embrace spontaneity: “Listening to artists from the 80s and 90s, I realized that they simply made an album; 12 songs, that’s how I feel. It might very well be their best album, the worst, or something halfway. Who cares? Is his form of expression. I want my future albums to be like this.” This approach results in an album that sounds joyfully raw and liberating.
Los Hits: effortless Creation
Even without striving for excess, Kaytranada consistently produces hits, seemingly effortlessly.Tracks like “space invader” exemplify this natural talent.