Album Review: dvsn - A Muse In Her Feelings

Ahead of the release, Daniel Daley, one half of the Canadian duo, posted to the dvsn Instagram the name of the album with a couple proposed interpretations. Amusing Her Feelings, I’m Using Her Feelings, A Muse In Her Feelings; a triple entendre, but the multiple meanings don’t stop there. For their third full-length, dvsn built on the momentum they created with Sept. 5th and Morning After, but a little more commercial now. A Muse In Her Feelings plays as a complete narrative, each song flowing into the next, and with all the highs and lows of a relationship including loyalty, sex, opinions, and everything in between. If anyone needs proof that everything Drake’s OVO label touches turns to gold (or platinum), look no further. 

A Muse lets Daley’s vocals shine against just a throbbing bassline and celebrates the woman in his life; his inspiration, his muse. One of the deeper cuts comes in the form of PARTYNEXTDOOR collab Friends, where dvsn and PARTY question the loyalty of those closest to them and their true intentions. A relatable tale, something both artists do well. Perhaps the most surprising of the set is ...Again with Shantel May, whose soothing tone sounds at home in the silky R&B production. This is classic dvsn, reminiscent of one of their earlier tracks Hallucinations but with a more cinematic feel. Courtside featuring Jessie Reyez is dvsn’s storytelling at its finest, with a special guest. Of course, an R&B album in 2020 wouldn’t be complete without a Summer Walker feature, and she’s a refreshing addition on Flawless, Do It Well Pt. 3. Between Us with Snoh Aalegra muses the possibility of falling deeper into a situationship, “you could be the star in my universe, if I just took time to plan it”. Keep It Going is their low-voltage club banger, and For Us makes Daley throw caution to the wind and dive right in; “I don’t wanna act like you ain’t been the one from the beginning”. 

Producer and other half of the duo Nineteen85 raises the bar this time and challenges their peers to meet them up there. Overall, A Muse In Her Feelings adds another dimension of sultriness to dvsn’s playbook and it proves they’re incredibly talented at what they do best; make great R&B music.

Reviewed by: Grayson Harris-Paul