ALBUM OF THE DAY
NNAMDÏ, “Please Have a Seat”
By Anna White · October 06, 2022 Merch for this release:
Vinyl LP, T-Shirt/Shirt, Compact Disc (CD), Cassette

Please Have a Seat, the sixth full-length album from Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist NNAMDÏ is his most cohesive album to date, exploring the double-edged sword of his growing success.

NNAMDÏ’s last release, BRAT, was a masterfully produced sonic sugar-rush; by contrast, Please Have a Seat is more even-keeled, flowing smoothly from song to song. On album-opener “Ready to Run,” NNAMDÏ is feeling isolated and restless after achieving his career goals: “I fought my way in for a seat by the throne,” he sings, his smooth vocals dusted with light electronic manipulation. “I’d trade it all for somewhere to come/ When both my feet get heavy.” That sentiment is echoed on “I Don’t Wanna Be Famous,” where NNAMDÏ sings: “I don’t really wanna be famous/ I just want a million blue faces,” a line that highlights the positive experiences that have come from his rising popularity while lamenting the pressures of being in the public eye (“I don’t really wanna be ogled at”).

Please Have a Seat also looks at more universal experiences. “I got all dressed up/ Just to be stood up,” he sings on “Benched,” which punctuates a vulnerable narrative of unrequited love with anthemic guitar lines. NNAMDÏ’s instrumental chops shine throughout the album, from intricate, emo-style guitar to thick, distorted synths. NNAMDÏ’s mischievous genre-blending is still present, but on Please Have a Seat, he’s leveled up. On earlier releases, NNAMDÏ combined disparate sounds in a way that retained their distinct qualities. Please Have a Seat’s songwriting and production are more akin to watercolor painting, melding the artist’s various influences into a seamless sound that feels singularly his own.

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