Danny Gonzalez is an American YouTuber and musician who first gained popularity through vine, where he posted a variety of comedy content on the platform, accumulating approximately 2.9 million followers before the service was shut down. In 2014, prior to the closure of Vine, Danny began also posting content to YouTube, and he focused his efforts there afterwards, and has since more than doubled his audience, with over 5.57 million subscribers on his main channel, and an additional 1.75 million on his second channel. His videos trend towards comedy and commentary, and he does frequent collabs with fellow YouTubers and former vine stars Drew Gooden and Kurtis Conner, both of whom also joined Gonzalez for a 2019 tour, We Are Two Different People which played on the similarities and overlap in the careers, style and overall lives of both the headliners.
In addition to his YouTube channel, which as I’ve mentioned above, it largely focused on commentary, with a general comedic overtone, Gonzalez also produces music, which also has a comedy vibe to it. These performances will also often tie into his videos. Today, I want to talk about his debut EP ‘Bump This’ which was released on 26th April 2019.
‘Invisible’ opens with a synth driven melody, a nice percussive beat acting as an undertone to Danny’s vocals, he has a strong voice, soft and melodic with plenty of warmth behind it. I think he’s actually got a very good voice for comedy, I think he’s obviously musically inclined and he’s a good vocalist, but his real strength is in his cadence and delivery which really sell the comedic aspect of these tracks.
‘Rollin’ kicks off with a deep booming, augmented vocal, and a heavier, darker synth track, and a nice electronic percussion beat that gives the track a really nice energy. I admire anyone who can pull off quick fire vocals and Danny manages to deliver the lyrics incredibly well. Overall as I said earlier, this is a darker toned track, but nonetheless you still feel Danny’s lighthearted and whimsical style come through.
‘Train’ pokes fun at the boastfulness of rap music but takes it to a ridiculous conclusion, and it really works for the track. I think comedy music can be difficult, I mean I’ve reviewed everything Ninja Sex Party and Starbomb have done and even with over a decade on the comedy music scene they prove that it takes a particular style to really be successful at it, and much like them I feel Danny understands the balance, he creates songs that aren’t just funny, but sound good, with catchy lyrics and/or memorable hooks which make them more than ephemeral little tunes. Also as I just stated I like comedy music, I mean adore The Lonely Island and Flight of the Conchords, but I think this track is the first time I’ve laughed out loud at a comedy music track, for that alone I think this earns the top slot, as my personal favourite on the EP.
‘Bad Boy’ opens with another heavier intro, and in the style Danny has established thus far he emulates typical rap music before making it silly, and yet it always flows really well, he’s an excellent lyricist, and despite the comedic elements again, it sounds really good. The melody to this track is weirdly catchy, repetitive without being annoying, and it has a great pace, especially with the percussive undertone present throughout which ties it all together.
‘The Tea (ft. Alli Fitz)’ is already great because it features the sensational Alli Fitz, but it has some of the best instrumental backing on the entire EP, melodic piano chords blended with rhythmic percussive beats, and supporting Danny’s sharp vocals, which really give him a chance to show off a softer and sweeter side to his voice. Speaking of which, Alli’s voice is so beautiful, and she, like Danny, manages to blend sounding nice, with creating something that’s a little bit silly. This one relies on a lot of slang and internet talk, and uses it to generate the fun in this track. I think after ‘Train’ this is probably my next closest favourite on the EP.
‘Bag Tho’ opens with synthy tones, and distorted vocals that build into a really fresh and sharp vocal delivery. I liked this track, but it’s not the strongest on the album, it does flow really well though and despite my previous statement, I think it was the one that got stuck in my head the most.
So that’s what I thought of Danny Gonzelez’s debut EP ‘Bump This’ and if you want to check that out for yourself then head on over to Spotify. While you’re at it, make sure and support the artist by following him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
First Published on: https://offtherecordblog.org/
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