REVIEW: ‘Petals to Thorns’ EP by D4vd

D4vd’s new EP Petals to Thorns bursts onto the scene with a 2000s pop-punk sensibility, heartbroken lyrics, and stylings from Icelandic pop-artist Laufey. With a new sound and sonic styling that he developed in 2022 after breaking out with his esports montage videos of Fortnight, d4vd is creating a unique feel and soundscape that promises to change the course of pop music by freely blending genres within a tight 9-song EP.

Visual references abound to the good, 20th century version of cable staple MTV (remember when it played music videos?) and pleasant days gone by in the video to “Sleep Well,” a classic, saxophone-tinged love song, the artist cleverly introduces the album to his YouTuber audience. A gaming YouTuber dealt a blow by copyright strikes changing course to becoming a world-changing pop musician is a difficult switch, and d4vd’s channel could easily have faltered in the transition but for the fact that he is a genuine talent, and an unobtrusive production by SixTwentySix Productions brings his voice and musicianship to a high level.

The lead single “The Bridge” is three minutes and three seconds of pop-punk love song greatness. His alt-pop chops defy easy categorization, and this song wears its influences on its sleeve, feeling like a blend of the 1990s and 2000s into a sonic broth that could only exist in 2023.

Showing off the artist’s growing star power, the Petals to Thorns tour is already sold out in many of its stops with additional dates added in Los Angeles and New York. Listening to d4vd’s album is a revelation, an “I was there when…” moment almost equal to listening to Adele in 2008 or Lizzo in 2012. If you’re interested in discovering an artist who could define the 2020s in music, D4vd’s Petals to Thorns is a must-listen album not just today, but into the next several years.

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