Fans of Brooklyn-based artist Jonathan Dagan (J.Views) have had an interesting year, to say the least. At the end of 2014 (in the form of a Kickstarter campaign), he laid out the proposal for The DNA Project, a concept boasting an unparalleled immersion into his artistic process as he began to conceive, write, and record his next album. Rarely before has a listening audience had such unprecedented access to the recording process of an album, and this was no gimmick just to secure a successful funding campaign. This was a sincere invitation to fans to listen, interact, inspire, and collaborate at every stage of the recording process, and the culmination of this artistic undertaking is 401 Days—a truly incredible body of work. Named after the number of days it took to complete it, 401 Days is an impressive LP, regardless of the underlying concept. The album—together with its thirteen carefully crafted tracks—leads you through the rich auditory landscape created by the artist, deftly weaving through genres as it goes along. From the tropical urgency of “We Moved”, to the mechanical textures of “I Follow”, and even the nostalgic, new romanticism of “Into The Light”, Jonathan showcases his range and versatility whilst maintaining a constant musical identity that threads effortlessly throughout the release. Although created and directed by him, 401 Days is far from a solo affair. A brief look down the tracklist reveals a collective of artists who feature on the album (Milosh, Kelli Scarr, Wild Cub, JFDR), but it is the numerous individuals following the project that had either a direct or indirect role in shaping each track which makes this release so special. The invitation into his creative process fostered a unique collaborative community, where, at every stage, Jonathan would share thoughts, pictures, and sounds that were currently inspiring him, which in turn inspired others to create their own artistic offshoots to inspire him. It was precisely this cross-pollination of creative ideas that has become the triumph of the project overall. You can check out our highlights below, or stream it all on Spotify.
J.Views