Premiere: Ten Diamonds – “Got It Bae” Aesthetics are everything these days, especially when you consider the success of countless artists rising from the internet. Whether Kevin Abstract, or someone a little goofier like Yung Lean, it’s kind of proven now that strong visuals will be the draw for a lot of listeners, with the music deciding whether its worth sticking around in long run. A lot of these artists are finding new and inventive ways to present themselves, creating styles completely original to them. A small minority of rappers, singers, and even a few producers have begun borrowing from aesthetics of the past. Ten Diamonds doesn’t necessarily borrow imagery from the past, with his almost health-goth-like art and the like, but his music certainly evokes images from a bygone era. “Got it Bae,” the latest from the enigmatic and earnest singer/rapper/producer Ten Diamonds borrows just a little bit from old-school emo. Blending the digital realm lyrically with a Pacific Northwest-indebted beat courtesy of Mewlips, his music strikes a curious balance, bringing to life imagery of Dale Cooper asking Siri questions instead of leaving notes for Diane. It’s a weird balance, but it works. It’s short, warm, and immensely charming. It’s also completely different from his debut track, “Need U.” Very clearly in the early stages as an artist, Ten Diamonds isn’t afraid to experiment, willing to work with anyone who’s willing to help further define his voice. Listing Romil, Falls, and Bine among others, his collaboration ambitions seem achievable. Speaking through email, he exhibits a sort of muted confidence.”Everyone can sing to some extent, even if you just sing along to songs on the radio,” he says, listing off a few of his inspirations in the process. “I’ve been writing for a while and have been self conscious of my singing, but just recently I realized that I shouldn’t [care] what people think and I’m just gonna make the music that I wanna make.” This kind of sincere certainty carries over to his music too, with his brittle vocals always sounding as if on the verge of cracking, highlighting every imperfection in an endearing way. He doesn’t attempt to do anything too ambitious with his voice, but his songwriting accommodates that in its ambitious ways. As part of the internet-raised generation, his music is solely based online, despite offering a tangible link between the digital realm and “reality.” But really, none of this matters all that much to Ten Diamonds: “Where I am right now, my music is solely online music but I’m okay with that, as long as the music is being heard and people enjoy it that’s all that matters.” His focus on building an online presence and body of work before stepping into the public view is commendable, proving that whether he’s got what it takes or not, he’s not going to dive in fully until he’s truly ready. “I’ve never seen half the artists I listen to live or seen them in person, but their music is still real to me.” Like many artists, the online world is no more than a means for him to find an audience. There’s no defined rules to his output yet, but who really cares about rules on the internet?—Joe Price
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