Kaytranada readies the dance floor with his new album, Ain’t No Damn Way! ahead of a fall co-headline tour with Justice starting October 16.
A decade after first surfacing on SoundCloud, Kaytranada has cemented his reputation as one of dance music’s rare crossover stars. His drum-forward house — a blend of hi-hats, funky basslines, and cut-up R&B samples — has found its way everywhere from Top 40 radio to imprints like Blue Note Records.
KAYTRANADA’s new surprise album, Ain’t No Damn Way! released via RCA Records, strips back to the very formula that made him a phenomenon. Across 12 tracks, he trades vocal features and a wide range of radio-ready collaborations for sharp, groovy sounds.
Lead single “SPACE INVADER” sets the tone, chopping Latrelle and Kelis’ “My Life” into a Chicago house tune. Meanwhile, “backstABS” and “GOOD LUCK” show off his rhythm skills, blending kicks and bells into rich, layered basslines that feel big and full without sounding crowded.
Kaytranada also leans deeper into his influences this time around. “HOME” feels like a nod to ’90s West Coast hip-hop, while “TARGET JOINT” and “SHINE YOUR LIGHT FOR WE” hint at old school soul with strings and horns. The latter impressively flips a Barry White sample into a bass-boosted track made for a sweaty dancefloor moment, and “BLAX” bridges his Haitian roots with the grit of hip-hop. These are two of the album’s standout moments.
AIN’T NO DAMN WAY! is both a love letter to where it all started for the Canadian-Haitian DJ and producer, and a reminder of his range. In contrast to his other recent and highly successful works, much of this album is free of vocalists. For an artist who has often been tasked with elevating other voices, this collection reasserts his identity in its purest form: grooves built to make bodies move with freedom and emotion. AIN’T NO DAMN WAY! places Kaytranada front and center as the star of the show.
The album lands mere weeks before Kaytranada embarks on a major co-headline North American tour with French electronic icons Justice. Presented by Live Nation, the tour kicks off October 16 in Vancouver and wraps up with a finale in Miami on November 16. The forces first combined in Paris last summer, and their arena run promises one of the most anticipated electronic tours of the year.
Listen to Kaytranada’s new album on your preferred platform, and secure your tickets for his tour alongside Justice now on its official website.
Stream Kaytranada – AIN’T NO DAMN WAY! on Spotify:
Kaytranada – AIN’T NO DAMN WAY! – Tracklist:
- SPACE INVADER
- CHAMPIONSHIP
- HOME
- TARGET JOINT
- THINGS
- backstABS
- GOOD LUCK
- SHINE YOUR LIGHT FOR WE
- GOODBYE BITCH!
- DON’T WORRY BABE / I GOT U BABE
- BLAX
- DO IT! (AGAIN!) (feat. TLC)
