15 singles and more than 15 collaborations brought together in the best house album of 2022
The inimitable Honey Dijon has just released her second studio album “Black Magic Girl” via Classic Music Company. Through 15 tracks full of attitude, energy, heart and community, Honey establishes her position as an artist in every sense of the word. In addition, this LP features a wide range of disciplines and influences with collaborators such as Channel Three, Eve, Pabllo Vittar, Josh Caffe and Mike Dunn.
Redefining what it is to be a DJ in 2022, this year Honey’s production skills have been enlisted by the upper echelon of musicians, producing two singles for Beyonce‘s GRAMMY 2023-nominated album Renaissance and remixing the title track ‘Break My Soul’. Now, she nonchalantly expresses her own sound on “Black Girl Magic”, where she unveils the next chapter in her development as a producer and songwriter.
“This album is dedicated to love. To love for the music, for the community, but most of all to love for yourself. Being true to who you are despite everything else and having the courage to love without fear.” – Honey Dijon
Behind “Black Magic Girl”
From the album’s first preview, the BBC Radio 1 charting collaboration with Atlanta singer-songwriter Hadiya George “Not About You,” to the latest single extracted “Show Me Some Love” with Compton Channel Three, the album has consistently illustrated Honey’s dedication to profiling diverse vocal talents. Dijon’s intention to “keep this culture in conversation” is demonstrated by the artists featured on the LP.
Focusing on the official cover art done by British sculptor Jam Sutton, an artist who explores the relationship between technology and antiquity, Honey’s 3D sculptural digital renders have formed the artwork for all previous singles leading up to “Black Girl Magic”. Navigating identity, form, technology, and classical portraiture, the album artwork stands as the latest piece in Dijon’s series of bespoke samples.
“It was such a pleasure collaborating with Honey on a series of sculptures. Honey visited my studio where we spent an entire day discussing life and creativity. During this time, I captured a series of form studies using 3D scanning. Over two years, Honey and I worked together creating this body of work. I’m interested in the moment of transformation from human to digital form, from physical to virtual. Something is compelling about capturing a portrait of my subject as three-dimensional data, which I then refine to create sculptural pieces. I’m attempting to record not only the form and contours of flesh but also the essence of being; portraying human physicality suspended in digital space.” – Jam Sutton
From ‘Love Is’ to ‘Everybody
‘Love Is’ is the single that opens this journey. The Chicago native invites us to reflect through love and its own connection as social. Then, ‘Love Is A State Of Mind’ bursts with fascinating glitches that take control of your body. Sounds more rooted to the essence of the 90s show up in ‘It’s Quiet Now’, where Dope Earth Alien uses his powerful vocal to transport us to a dance floor from two decades ago. The out lyric takes power in ‘Downtown’ where the euphoria of Dijon, Annette Bowen and Nikki-O synchronize to make you one with the universe.
‘Drama’ is set under addictive loops and restless beats that conspire in scheming with your mind. A nostalgic piano dominates on ‘Stand’ where an indeterminate vocalized “u” fuses the best of house music and futuristic notes. ‘In The Club’ is closer to the disco world. Eve runs all over your skin covering it with a substance that violates your senses and makes you a prisoner of an eternal dance. ‘Not About You’ follows in her footsteps in less intensity although ‘Everbody’, retakes the power of the intensity and the huge screams.
From ‘Show Me’ to ‘Love Me Like You Care’
Part two kicks off with the most acclaimed single, ‘Show Me Love’ with Channel Three and Sadie Walker, providing a happy backdrop to the warmth and immediacy and then gives way to the bubbly ‘Don’t Be Afraid’ which delivers a bittersweet approach to its lush songwriting. ‘Work’ takes control of the album under its characteristic dancefloor-focused groove.
‘Cs Up’ adds a dramatic and haunting touch to turn the emotive side around. ‘La Femme Fantastique’ goes a step further with its unnerving notes. Finally, ‘Love Me Like You Care’ offers a mesmerizing bass with a clean piano that meets Hadiya George’s voice and offers us a masterful composition.
Honey x Classic Music Company
Behind the scenes, Honey has worked closely with Classic Music Company founder and close friend Luke Solomon, as well as regular collaborator Chris Penny on the album’s production. Her most adventurous and exploratory production to date, with a diverse range of influences, Honey’s musical upbringing in Chicago is a driving force behind the LP, with her sights set on demonstrating how she first experienced her deeply felt hometown music through the record.
From her stratospheric DJ career to her fashion line with COMME des GARÇONS: Honey Fucking Dijon, to soundtracking some of the most iconic fashion shows of the 21st century, Honey’s influence is felt far and wide across the worlds of music, fashion, and art, with ‘Black Girl Magic’ a powerful physical statement of her interdisciplinary artistic impact. Get your copy of “Black Magic Girl” by Honey Dijon via Beatport.
