For many young artists now, their music lacks authenticity. Many of them become so wrapped up in the business aspect of making music, they forget that their lyrics are supposed to be a form of art. However, 23-year-old Ashton Simmonds, or better known by his stage name, Daniel Caesar, challenges this by staying true to himself through his lyrics.
Caesar focuses on his intimate relationships with his partner, mother, and God through his 2017 album “Freudian.” The work of Sigmund Freud, Austrian philosopher and the father of psychoanalysis, was the inspiration for this album. One of Freud’s theories that resonate through this album is the theory of the unconscious mind. Caesar explores this concept by recollecting how he unconsciously damaged relationships around him, but he is consciously working to rebuild them.
This album is not one that follows the hype of music in today’s society, instead delivering an authentic artistry. “Freudian” also gives listeners a range of styles, from gospel-inspired organ runs and baseline dips to traditional and contemporary R&B sounds.
“Freudian” is an album that reminds listeners that there is light and dark in life. However, it is the in between – the balance between the light and the dark, the good and the bad, that keeps us in harmony with one another.
