Artwork - Kieran Shaw ; Photo - Athena Merry
Chicago, Illinois based 20-year-old Mexican/American singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer, adan diaz has recently dropped his 3rd EP, "ah-dawn", cheekily self-titled but spelled to help pronounce his name correctly after a lifetime of being called the wrong name.
TRACKLIST
shake, shake
jsyk
jerk x2
the middle
why can't it be me
run it all back
young picasso
adan diaz burst into the music scene at only 16 years old back in 2020. During the pandemic, he found himself confined to his bedroom in which he began writing and recording new music every single day on Ableton Live. He was still in high school when he was signed to the LA-based record label, GODMODE and released his first ever single, "ripped jeans". In 2021, he released his breakthrough single "legroom", which currently has over 30 million streams across all platforms. He quicky has become a local favorite in Chicago and beyond, now having over 330k+ monthly listeners on Spotify alone. He's opened for touring acts like LAUNDRY DAY, spill tab, Blu DeTiger, Victor Internet, JAWNY and more. He's got 4 years of experience and now 3 EP releases under his belt. Just this year, he made his festival debut at Lollapalooza, having the opportunity to perform twice - closing out the BMI Stage the first night, and then the next day, opening for the Eyedress’ after show at Bottom Lounge. adan has since signed a publishing collaboration with songwriter/producer Dan Wilson's Supermoon Songs & PULSE Music Group, in which the "ah-dawn" EP is the first project to come to fruition with this venture. There's something highly unique and special about adan and his talents, which we will dive deeper into as we listen to these tracks. Let's get started.
shake, shake
We kick off the EP with the indie rock bop, "shake, shake". This song is about not being ready to jump into a serious relationship with someone, but you keep catching yourself getting too close. The feelings are too much right now; so every time you notice things are moving to fast, you have to shake them off. Sometimes taking a deep breath, and letting go is what we need in the moment to just reset our mind and get back on track. "shake, shake" is so simply catchy. It has a drums, bass, synth and two electric guitars; one for the rhythm and one to take the lead. The tone of the guitars have a bit of a raw, garage rock vibe which I love, and when you mix it with a little pop production, it gives the song a perfect radio sound. Not to mention adan's conversational vocal tone that draws you into the story as well.
jsyk
Next we have "jsyk", a short, fun and quirky song with brutally honest lyrics about adan's stance on dating and relationships. He doesn't really take a liking to getting into serious romantic relationships, but sometimes feels pressured by others to go on dates anyway. This song is to tell the world exactly how he feels about this situation, in both a fun-loving and direct, conspicuous way. This song was his first step into more of an indie rock style, taking more of a post-punk approach in this track with influence from artists like Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem. "jsyk" has a super groovy instrumentation with a funky guitar riff and unique percussion. It even has a surprising energetic hip-hop break down towards the end that really adds the perfect touch. I highly suggest watching the visualizer below, too. I bet you'll get a kick out of it.
jerk x2
"jerk x2" is a relatable song about how you don't want to come off as jerk to people, but sometimes you just have to. We live in a society where if you don't have something nice to say, you're not supposed to say anything at all; but the problem with that is, sometimes the truth isn't something nice, but it's something that needs to be said. So if you're that person that likes to live with brutal honesty rather than society's zipped lipped code, you're kind of out numbered. So in other words, when you don't conform to that way of living and push on with your true self, that makes you the "jerk x2". adan sings of how he wishes he could be like those other people, but he just can't, and never will be. He rather speak his mind, and if that makes him a jerk, then so be it. "jerk x2" has an addicting light guitar riff in the verses that draw you in, with a heavier distorted chorus with electric guitar down strums, giving the song a punk rock feel for the hook.
the middle
"the middle" is a super fun, mid-tempo breakup song, about how the impact of the relationship ending was surprisingly a little bit more painful than expected. The relationship didn't end by surprise. Things clearly weren't working out, and emotions weren't running high, but despite all of that, you still find yourself feeling a little bit of that post-breakup stinging in your chest. "the middle" isn't meant to be a sad song, but more of a "yeah, this kind of sucks but... oh well" kind of song. It's meant for you to jam to, and get those negative feelings out of your body. It's got a super funky groove with a popping bass, and quirky vocalizations and rhythms that really solidify the catchiness of the song. There's a little bit of hip-hop in adan's vocal style here. The melody feels more spoken at times rather than sung, which adds to the emotional tone.
why can't it be me
"why can't it be me" is about knowing you're perfect for someone that possibly knows it too, but they can't admit it to themselves. They keep searching for something else out there, running from what is good for them, which is you. adan sings, "why can’t it be me, if i'm the only one who knows exactly what you need". He goes on to say, "stop searching for that adrenaline high, can’t be running for the rest of your life". "why can't it be me" starts with gorgeous piano and continues to build into this stunningly nostalgic soundscape with drums, acoustic guitar, bass and some little moments of synth. It has such a classic and raw indie pop sound with 60's soft rock influence, perfect for a melancholic romance song.
run it all back
"run it all back" is an electro-pop/rock song about when your relationship is on the rocks... and it's driving you absolutely nuts. You're suspicious that things might already be over, and they just haven't told you yet. They might even be seeing someone else already; after all, they're ignoring all of your calls and still posting on their Instagram Story like nothing is wrong. At this point you just wish you could take back everything that happened to get you to this point, because you don't want to lose them. "run it all back" starts with an acoustic picking pattern, but picks up into this super fun and catchy mixture of rock instrumentation and electro-pop production. adan sings a melody that is 1,000% going to get stuck in your head for days, so fair warning on this one.
young picasso
We close out the EP with the focus track, "young picasso", a stunning shift away from the modern indie rock sound and into a beautiful piano ballad with classic tones. This track is meant to showcase adan's evergrowing and evolving sound and maturity, both personally and musically. "young piscasso" sings of falling in love in a way that feels brand new. This person is so perfectly special, that you couldn't possibly have the heart to hate them if they ever left you, because at least you had the honor of loving them while you had the chance. This song is one of adan's most lyrically complex, poetic, and vulnerable. The instrumentation consists of piano, light drums, and orchestral strings. adan sings so soft and gentle, with moments of falsetto and lovely harmonies to back him up as well. I have to say, the orchestral instrumental outro was so incredibly beautiful, it just about brought me to tears.
adan diaz is making a impressively huge imprint in the indie music scene right now. His writing and his sound are unique and it connects with people on a level that you don't see very often anymore. It's a new generation of real, emotionally impactful music that is needed. adan seems to think that this EP is his artistic prime, but let me remind him that he is only 20-years-old right now. Yes, he is absolutely, out of this world talented, and this EP proves it, but there are so many years of music ahead. This EP is still only the beginning of what is to come for adan diaz. The fact that he is already making waves this big, means it's only going to go up from here. He's already found new ways to develop and mature his sound, and that will only continue to grow along with him as the years go on. I can't wait to hear what's next. If you enjoyed the "ah-dawn" EP, make sure to dive into the rest of adan's discography. Follow him below as well to check out tour dates and to keep up with his journey.
Written By Kaitlyn Nicole
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