Kashi XO’s latest album has it all: modern ballads, club anthems, and indie rock songs. Roman Ali is the creative force behind Kashi XO, and Dogboy is his third album. After self-releasing and amassing thousands of hundreds of streams with his debut record in 2018, followed by 20 in 2019, Kashi XO spent two years creating a world and story for the character Dogboy. Ali is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Lancaster Pennsylvania, who is not shy when it comes to releasing music, all his full-lengths have over a dozen tracks each, and this is the case with Dogboy as well, featuring fifteen tracks, most of them inspired by nostalgia and bittersweet emotions. In Kashi XO’s own words: “The inspiration for the album was graduating from college and moving to a city where I knew nobody. During that time I would think about my childhood, family, friends, and memories. I wanted to make an album that captured the bittersweet feeling and the excitement and hope for the future. So I made the character of the Dogboy to share my life story.“ The record kicks off with “Dogboy” which serves as an introduction, modern-troubadour style, to what the record will be. As the album progresses we reach “Jetlag”, getting into indie pop territory. “Dreamworld” is an upbeat dancefloor-friendly track that gets us off the couch. “California” is a stripped-down ballad that puts Roman’s songwriting skills under the spotlight. Things get upbeat and catchy with “Bleaches” and “Rabies”, and back to soft ballads with “Caroline”. “Dog Days Forever” is an honest pop track with a hooky chorus that serves as the perfect wrap for the album. Dogboy has all the elements of a solid record: storytelling, different styles and melodies, and good songwriting. We look forward to seeing what Kashi XO releases next!
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