Dirtybird player Ardalan has officially released his debut LP Mr. Good, and it’s a stunner boasting all the feels we were hoping to get out of it.
The LP is a coming of age story that unravels itself through 11 tracks, all in which capture a distinctive and emotional look into the heart and mind of a young artist.
Mr. Good is a story of self-acceptance. In some cases, we strive to be the perfect person. Yet, we never learn to be ourselves,” says Ardalan. “We and society are forced to wear a mask to hide our true traits and flaws, which are the very reasons that push us to be a better person in this world.”
In pushing his sound into the future, Ardalan looks to the past. Mr. Good brims with analog accents from a carefully curated collection of hardware the producer has built over the years—adding a classic feel to an otherwise futuristic project. Instruments like the iconic Yamaha SP1200 and a Deckard’s Dream add warmth to the breaks number “Lift Up,” and a spacey element to the proceeding “Happy Place,” and in the penultimate “Zombie Village.” Meanwhile, “Osci” is bursting with vintage appeal.
While leaning on influences by various genres of dance music today, Ardalan’s Iranian roots inspired him to write with the minor key and melancholic melodies that come from the music of his native country.
This motif ties into the larger story Mr. Good tells. The brooding “Mr. Bad” is an expression of inevitable human imperfection. In turn, the “Mr. Good” title track utilizes minor harmonies beneath otherwise breezy melodic parts—an ode to the mask often shown to the outside world in an effort to hide one’s inner “Mr. Bad.” Then there’s tracks like “I Can’t Wait,” conveying feelings of frustration and the isolation that can take over when one chooses the life of a touring artist, and the necessity of finding balance between family and gigs.
“I Can’t Wait’ is a duet with my girlfriend. It’s one of the last songs I made on my album,” says Ardalan. “Through the process, she was always waiting for me to watch Game of Thrones with her and would say, ‘I can’t wait any longer.’ I never ended up watching it. The song is open to interpretation for the listener.”
Out now on Dirtybird Records, Mr Good does well to show how much Ardalan’s skills have matured since his debut on this very label and provides a solid look into the next chapter of this talented artist’s career.
Ardalan is currently in the midst of a 36-stop record showcase in North America. You can check out all remaining Ardalan tour dates and get more info on tickets here.
Connect with Ardalan:
https://www.facebook.com/ardalanmusicpage
https://twitter.com/Ardalan
https://soundcloud.com/ardalann
http://www.ardalander.com
Photo by Grady Brannan
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