Papi (Dean Blunt song)
| "Papi" | |
|---|---|
| Promotional single by Dean Blunt | |
| from the album The Redeemer | |
| Released | January 29, 2013 |
| Genre | Soul-pop |
| Length | 2:17 |
| Label |
|
| Songwriter(s) | Dean Blunt |
| Producer(s) | Blunt |
"Papi" is a song by British musician Dean Blunt from his debut studio album, The Redeemer (2013). It was released to Blunt's SoundCloud account on January 29, 2013, as a promotional single for the album.[1] A soul-pop song, it samples "Echoes" by Pink Floyd.
Composition
"Papi" is a soul-pop song, built off a sampled section from the Pink Floyd song "Echoes".[2] Its production features strings and jazz piano.[3] Blunt sings in a baritone, and the song's lyrics are about the ups and downs of a relationship.[4][3] His opening lines address a person who "brings out the best of me", though he later hints at problems in his relationship, singing that "It's not about the things I did to you".[4] The song ends with a sample of a New Years countdown, starting from ten.[4][5] DMY compared it to the movie samples used in Blunt's 2012 mixtape The Narcissist II, writing that the countdown "pulls the plug on all the emotion and thoughtfulness – just as it was at its most charged."[4]
Critical reception
"Papi" received positive reviews from music critics. Pitchfork's Ruth Saxelby wrote that it "reveals a very different side of Blunt" by highlighting "the theatrical quality of his artistry" more than his previous work, calling it "a disarmingly raw song that stirs up a cacophony of emotion as its lonely refrain takes up residence in your brain."[6] Chris of Gorilla vs. Bear called it "[j]ust as bizarre and heartbreaking as Blunt's devastating 'The Narcissist,' though in very different ways."[7] The Quietus felt that the song's release "signals quite a shift away from the hazy sound of Hype Williams, finding his voice emerging to the fore with a far clearer and less stoned feel."[1] In his Obscure Sound blog, Mike Mineo praised Blunt's "excellent usage" of "Echoes", writing that it was "a nice way to dig into Blunt's new album".[2] DMY opined that the song "is over before you know it, but as is often the way in the world of Hype Williams, the lingering air of uncertainty is palpable."[4]
References
- ^ a b Quietus, The (January 30, 2013). "LISTEN: Dean Blunt - 'Papi'". The Quietus. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
- ^ a b Mineo, Mike (May 3, 2013). "Listen: Dean Blunt - "Papi"". Obscure Sound. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
- ^ a b "Stream: Dean Blunt, "Papi"". The Fader. January 30, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "Dean Blunt - Papi". DMY. January 30, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
- ^ Mr P (January 29, 2013). "♫ Listen: Dean Blunt - "Papi"". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
- ^ Saxelby, Ruth (January 29, 2013). "Dean Blunt: "Papi"". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
- ^ Chris (January 29, 2013). "new Dean Blunt – "Papi"". Gorilla vs. Bear. Retrieved August 12, 2025.