Honey Dijon continues to exude exuberance on The Nightlife

Her presence as a trailblazing DJ since the 90s has earned her wide recognition. From numerous sets across fashion shows and underground venues, her producing credits on Beyonce’s Renaissance, to a well-deserved feature on Jamie xx’s In Waves. Each passing year has her getting more shine in the spotlight, but even with that, she retains the core of the black, queer nightlife culture that has flowed through her ever since she started. Her projects embody this completely, especially 2022’s Black Girl Magic, a record that’s resoundingly affirmative in its ethos. Dijon’s ability to be flexible within the rays of house and techno, alongside working with fellow black collaborators, enriches the album’s heartfelt character.

Four years later, Honey Dijon continues to hone in on the core of the nightlife with her aptly titled album, The Nightlife. She exudes more of what she has built on in her records with bigger swings. Cultivating the dance floor where the collaborators act as individuals with their own reasons for going there. Some are there to find love, to belong in a safe environment, to confidently flex and bring more attitude. It overall creates tension, something that hasn’t been present in Dijon’s albums before.

This presence allows Honey Dijon to play around with her beats and newer collaborators with effervescent effect. “The Nightlife” gives Chloe a chance to introduce the album with an alluring performance. “I take the pain and I burn it / I break the chains, I earned it”, she speaks with passion. This is followed by “Slight Werk”, an intoxicatingly rattling tune that gives Bree Runway to vamp with ease; her flex becomes assured rather than tacky. The two Rochelle Jordan featured cuts, “Private Eye” and “New Wave Groove”, hone into playful melodies that fit Jordan’s charismatic vocals, especially with the latter’s bright piano accents.

The best moments are when the overall melodies end up uniquely sticky. “I Like It Hot” with Greentea Pang is delivered with shuffling drums and rumbling basslines, blending the organic textures with Pang’s effortless delivery greatly. “Welcome To The Moon” and its sharp techno groove run over 6 glorious minutes, with Dave Giles II’s booming attitude reverberating across the song.

However, the album also trips up at times. The diva house swerve of “Okay Daddy” and the secured personality of “International” ends up running short, not exactly giving the time for their sound to elevate further. Then come the production missteps of “Smokes And Mirrors” and “Rush Me”. The former’s stiff drums distract Madison McFerrin’s introspective yearning, and the latter’s mix of buzzing and glossy synth tones is discordant, even if it reflects the song’s relationship turmoil.

The Nightlife expounds upon what made Honey Dijon an exuberant figure in the first place. While it carries more lows than her last project, she continues to refine her sensibilities and create surprises one way or another. Despite the tension that wrestles on the dance floor, the presence of love is what makes everyone connect at the very end.