If I get you to listen to any new artist this year, let it be the drum n’ bass/techno musical wizard that is LSDXOXO. In this debut album release by the underground queer and Black recording artist, the Philly born and Berlin based DJ takes a more subdued yet carnal approach. Stripping down and bearing all, DOGMA maintains the classic rave/techno sound that he’s so known for while adding something new to the music: himself.
Raushaad “RJ” Glasgow better known by the drug-laced moniker LSDXOXO is no stranger to the music industry, with the 31-year-old's 2020’s being filled with appearances on industry titan’s projects like Lady Gaga’s Alice remix and the recent Kelela remix album. Though his music has always been in your face and sleazy, with this album it's obvious that he’s coming into his own identity as an artist. The most personal and emotional songs of his career are on this record like the abrasive “WASTELAND” or single “4LUVN.”
"Having experiences with more mainstream artists like Lady Gaga and Beyoncé helped me to realize how much effort and determination goes into pushing yourself as a pop artist," Glasgow tells the Miami New Times. This inspiration is definitely heard in DOGMA; where the former GHE20G0TH1K affiliate strays away from intense vulgarity and sexual depravity, to adding more of his own personality and issues in the music. Pop single “4LUVN,” being an especially tender and vulnerable part of the album where Glasgow talks about his hesitation in love.
This same turn to vulnerability is also heard in track “BRAND NEW,” where Glasgow iterates “my heart’s got a brand new scar,” when talking about how he falls in love. Same for tracks like “GHOST,” which I believe administers this message pretty weakly. Beautiful backing vocals from Kelela could not save this extremely simple and uncomplicated song structure, losing all hints of cuteness when “baby I’m a ghost,” is repeated throughout.
Highlights from this album are reminiscent of superior EP Dedicated 2 Disrespect, which was a hedonistically vulgar and delicious project stacked with lewd to straight up perverted themes and lyrics. “BLACK LIGHT” off of DOGMA brings this energy, with Glasgow wanting to dance in the colorful purple lights, that can also reveal special invisible stains. It's wonderfully playful yet it occasionally ventures into territory that's downright stomach-churning.
Overall this is a very impressive debut LP, filled with spacy, witch-housy sounding dark techno that also marks an important shift in his musical career. We as the audience get a taste of the real Glasgow and we want more. Given, however, the over decade of other club bangers that LSDXOXO has released, it should be the shallow dip before taking the dive into his far superior catalog of work.
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