Sassy

The centerpiece of Kyle Dion's album Sassy is a breezy, unexpected collaboration with Ja Rule titled “Placebo.” The singer's bewitching falsetto rides the buoyant groove of the production before the legendary New York rapper cuts through the swing with his signature rasp, immediately transporting us to the aughts—a time we like to believe was simpler, freer, lighter. Such is the tone of most of Sassy. Dion's demand “let's break the rules” on opening track “No Rules” is about a cute come-on as much as it is a declaration to free himself of the things that try to confine him. He makes good on the sentiment, filling the album with vibrant songs that bend era and genre to his will. Whether it's the beach campfire guitar slow-burner “Comfortable,” the fizzy funk of “Drip,” or the industrial rock catharsis of “Bim,” he inhabits every sound with ease, imbuing it with his own playful flair. Sassy is a shot of unabashed joy that's right on time.