EP REVIEW: JASON DHAKAL x dot.jaime - NIGHT IN
Jason Dhakal is a singer-songwriter based in Manila, who is originally from Oman, UAE, and Jaime San Juan aka ‘dot jaime’ is a music producer, and the two have released a joint project titled “Night In”. Following from his debut project, Aftermath, Jason Dhakal looks forward in progressively bringing local r&b to another level in this 6-track project. “Night In” is written by Jason and all beats and production credits go to ‘dot jaime’. For a while now, I’ve seen Jason Dhakal live twice now and I like how his live performances have this SZA vibe or this Frank Ocean influence in his voice.
The first track “Infatuation” starts off the EP in a mild tone. The hi-hats, ocean waves, chipmunk echoing in the background are odd ways to add in production but it just melds perfectly. Plus you got the mature songwriting of Jason Dhakal. This track discusses about being madly in love, but whatever happens to your partner, you’ve got to be sure that you’ll stay with your significant other no matter what are the circumstances.
The second track and my personal favorite of the track, “U”. There are Jess Connelly-influences/references the way how Jason delivers his lines here. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing, Jason does it in a way to pay tribute to his contemporaries in outstanding fashion. The chorus here is the best part of the track, the vocals building up everytime Jason says “you” as if there’s a gospel hanging at the back of the recording booth.
The third track “Get it Together, Part 1” has this cold and hypnotic production. You can call it minimal but for me it just makes me want to float around the room. The vocal loop that pans across different channels just creates this another layer. There are subtle points in the production that definitely needs to be observed from time to time.
The fourth track “Do I, Part 2” which is the most heartbreaking track in the record. Jason tells a story on how he lost his love and how the process of losing the love that the two partners had. This was probably one of those tracks where I wish Jason did write more efficiently just to add up more on the emotion if he written the lines here with more imagery, nevertheless, still a great song. The fifth track “Here” is a track that is similar to praying in a church. The isolated vocals, deep kick, and organ work together so beautifully, it creates this heaven-like image except it’s super minimal. It really reminds me how I was fully immersed into “Blonde” when i heard it for the first time.
The sixth track “Closure” was fitting to close off the EP, I mean I think this is going to be a crowd favorite in his live performances. The way how he drags the melody across the chorus when everything in the production is going in different directions. It felt like an ear massage when I hear his voice go along with the beat, nothing less nothing too much either.
Overall, Jason Dhakal and dot jaime’s “Night In” EP is a strong debut effort that goes through themes of absence, distance, and losing feelings for someone. I was very pleased with the results of this EP, Jason has developed from his very first project and “Night In” is miles ahead of every local r&b record that was released this year. I also commend the lush production by dot jaime here -- the sneaky sub bass, the instrumental transitions, and the vocal chops that came in the appropriate times.
That being said, the duo has proved that not only they’ve released one of the most cohesive projects of 2018 but potentially they’ve made a mark on the entire region what it means to be the best r&b team-ups of the entire year.
Support the art & the artist by listening to the EP right here: