Young Franco – it's Franky Baby!
Young Franco's debut album it's Franky Baby is a mixed bag genre-wise, presented by an artist who clearly knows and loves music
it’s Franky baby! is the debut album from Joseph Da Rin de Barbera, aka Young Franco, an Australian DJ and producer whose name you may recognise from remixing the work of some of your favourite artists (Charli xcx, Central Cee, Dua Lipa). Stepping into the spotlight for his first solo album, Young Franco leans on collaborators and well-chosen samples to create a genre-blending sunny record that really shows his range as a producer and beat maker. The samples are a mix of infectious familiar stuff like Moloko’s Sing It Back and DJ Pied Piper's garage anthem Do You Really Like It?, as well as lesser-known disco and funk hooks layered over his own clean sophisticated beats.
The record really is a mixed bag genre-wise from a person who clearly knows and loves music. Collaborations with US rapper Pell are among the record’s highlights, such as the playful Juice which occupies a soft R'n'B/hip-hop space, an avenue Young Franco seems particularly well suited to, and brings to mind the easy sunshine grooves of contemporaries like Alfie Templeman and Rex Orange County. The uplifting garage-inflected Going On features vocals from UK singer-songwriter piri, whose girlish bubblegum sound sits perfectly over the song’s addictive early noughties base.
At times Young Franco is guilty of over-perfecting the beats, meaning tracks without a powerful collaborator or lyrical punch can fade into the background. Still, there's great promise here. When Young Franco gets the balance right, the songs are hard to beat.
Listen to: Going On, Juice, Sunrise