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Diamanté Blackmon, professionally known as DJ Gordo, just released a project he's been working on for the past four years titled Diamante, which was confirmed to stem from personal experiences faced during the production of this album.
"There’s a purpose with this album — and the purpose is that I’m connecting the dots between all these different worlds, and I’m doing it the most tasteful way possible” - Gordo stated to Rolling Stones magazine.
The album appears to blend several genres into its tracklist incorporating sounds from hip-hop, pop, house, EDM and more into the production of its records.
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The Nicaraguan DJ also explained the impact and efforts Drake put into the album, citing how throughout the production phase he would send several tracks over to Drizzy for his opinion on how the project was coming together.
As per Blackmon, he had started working on Diamante four years ago, which coincided with his collaboration with Drake on his 2022 dance-music album Honestly, Nevermind, on which he was credited for tracks like Sticky, Massive and Tie That Binds.
Breaking down Gordo's new self-titled album 'Diamante'
Gordo's Diamante was distributed to all major DSPs (Digital Streaming Platforms) last Friday via Ultra Records, LLC. The project includes 16 full-length songs as part of its official tracklist and has a complete runtime of one hour.
The genre-bending album also features guest appearances from &ME, Afshin Momadi, Rampa, T-Pain, Larry June, Leon Bridges, Fuerza Regida, Nicki Nicola, Sech, Maluma, FEID, Young Dolph, Karolina Falk and NTO. Notable themes this LP delves into have been listed below:
- Love
- Relationships
- Heartbreak
- Pain
- Nostalgia
- Lifestyle
- Parties
- Excess
Disclaimer: This review is rated explicit. Reader discretion is advised.
Guard Down (Feat. Alice Aera)
(Production Credits: Gordo)
Gordo's Diamante opens with Guard Down, a techno banger where the DJ teams up with Alice Aera to deliver an electrifying composition. The song's production consistently amps up throughout its runtime with no slow or dry phases.
The thick keys, harmonies and booming bass make Guard Down a very memorable opener to Diamante, incorporating various production elements and styles for its five-minute runtime.
Sideways (Feat. Drake)
(Production Credits: Gordo, Aryay, Bynon, Kasablanca, Klahr, LIOHN and Vlado)
Gordo and Drake deliver their first collaboration on the LP with a track titled Sideways, which revolves around the issues Drizzy faces with dating "promiscuous women".
The track opens as a low-tempo house record, before building up to an insane beat drop and solo instrumental, mixed with chopped vocals taken from Drake's hook.
"It's the truth, why lie? If I dropped her name right now, she'd be too hype / I bet she wanna come to Miami / Or come wherever I am"
Honeyland (Feat. Afshin Momadi)
(Production Credits: Gordo)
Blackmon teams up with Afshin Momadi for Honeyland, where both DJs deliver an electric house music ballad that mixes heavily reverbed hooks and bouncy drum sequences that keep their listeners entertained for a total of four minutes.
Easier
(Production Credits: Gordo)
On Easier, listeners are introduced to simple key progressions that ultimately build into an anthemic fast-paced EDM production that mixes elements of house music into its composition. The DJ also includes sampled complementary vocal performances into the track that carry the record till the second beat drop.
Target (Feat. T-Pain)
(Production Credits: Gordo)
Blackmon and T-Pain come together to bring elements of hip-hop, pop, and EDM music into the production of Target.
The bouncy track appears to revolve around themes of love, relationships and heartbreak, with an accompanying vocal performance that leads into the beat drop delivering lines like:
"How do I make the situation any clearer... All you do is make up to break up / Baby you wake up now / You got that Devil on your back"
Lake Como (Feat. Larry June)
(Production Credits: Gordo)
On Lake Como, Blackmon and Larry June work together on introducing a full-fledged techno and house record. The song is supported by a spoken word delivery leading listeners through the various sonic transitions included on this track.
Candid Zone (Feat. Leon Bridges)
(Production Credits: Gordo)
On Candid Zone, Blackmon's R&B, hip-hop and house composition is supported by an emotionally distant vocal performance by Leon Bridges. The record's production complements the rapper's themes of love and relationships, with exceptional key and drum progressions that bring his lyricism to life.
NENE (Feat. Fuerza Regida)
(Production Credits: Gordo)
Blackmon then delivers his collaboration with the Mexican band Fuerza Regida on the track NENE.
The track opens with a hook before leading into a solo instrumental that includes various hip-hop and EDM sonic elements. Jesús Ortíz Paz the band's lead vocalist, delivers two verses on the track before the record closes out.
Cafecito (Feat. Sech and Nicki Nicole)
(Production Credits: Gordo, LIOHN and Klahr)
On Cafecito, listeners are introduced to ecstatic vocal performances from Panamanian singer and record producer Sech and Argentine singer-songwriter Nicki Nicole.
All three artists put together an electric house track that relies heavily on its hi-hat progression and a fast rhythm, bringing its production to life.
Parcera (Feat. Maluma)
(Production Credits: Gordo, LIOHN, Glassick and Klahr)
Blackmon's collaboration with Colombian rapper and singer Maluma opens as the 10th track on Diamante. The song is relatively short compared to the rest of the album but includes an exciting production comprising of distorted pitched-down vocal cuts and thick bass elements.
Hombres Y Mujeres (Feat. FEID)
(Production Credits: Gordo, Shaun Frank, Nick Henriques and Sky Rompiendo)
Blackmon teams up with Colombian singer-songwriter FEID for Hombres Y Mujeres, which like Parcera, has a runtime of less than three minutes. The track features an impressive vocal performance complimenting the hard-hitting drum progression included on the record.
Kill For This Sh*t (Feat. Young Dolph)
(Production Credits: Gordo and Senojnayr)
Young Dolph opens on Kill For This Sh*t with an aggressive cadence, braggadocious bars and an amped-up vocal delivery. The Nicaraguan DJ effectively chops up the rapper's single verse into vocal cuts that are used as part of the various transitions and build-ups for the song.
"Fast money, fast cars, I live for this s--t (B---h) / My young n---a 'nem, man, they gon' kill for this s--t (B---h) / Shakin' my head, Dolph, you just too real for this s--t (B---h) / My first investment was a vacuum seal, then I got s--t (B---h)" - Young Dolph's hook on 'Kill For This Sh*t'.
TAKE CONTROL
(Production Credits: Gordo)
On Take Control, listeners are drawn into the opening piano melodies and accompanying vocal performances before being led into the hard-hitting bass-fueled production of the track.
The entire record lasts 5:16 minutes and features interesting transitions and head-bopping drum progressions.
WDYM (Feat. Karolina Falk)
(Production Credits: Gordo)
On WDYM, Blackmon and Falk put together a bouncy house record that draws listeners in with the singer's soft vocals and accompanying electric drum progressions.
The sonic elements appear to draw from feelings of happiness, nostalgia, and love, which is further amplified by the lyrics incorporated on WDYM.
Aura (Feat. NTO)
(Production Credits: Gordo)
Blackmon teams up with French DJ and producer NTO for Aura which is fueled by the repetitive synths and bouncy drum and kick progressions. The record draws listeners into its heavy anthemic production with an exceptional performance over lines like:
"Trust me you won't be alone / Tell me what you tryna prove / You know I loved you like I do / You know I loved you like I do"
Healing (Feat. Drake)
(Production Credits: Gordo, Klahr and LIOHN)
Blackmon and Drake come together for a second collaboration titled Healing, wrapping up Diamante on a high note.
Drizzy spends a significant portion of the record speaking on themes of love, relationships, pain, self-harm, and heartbreak. Notable bars from this track include lines like:
"I swear / Don't wanna hurt myself no more / I don't get it / Nobody tells me that I'm hurt, enough / Always tryna turn it back / But it's a new day / That I don't don't don't / Don't wanna hurt myself no more"
Diamanté Blackmon's latest album is the perfect blend of hip-hop, house and EDM, mixing in elements of other genres, to take listeners on an exciting trip across the dance-music landscape.
The replay value of these tracks is quite remarkable with many of the songs included on Diamante garnering tens of millions of streams on Gordo's Spotify page.
