Following the success of his viral debut single “Daylight,” David Kushnerdropped his debut album, “The Dichotomy” Aug. 30.
Kushner scored his first career entry on the Billboard Hot 100 after “Daylight” opened at No. 48 on the chart April 29, 2023. The single stayed on the Hot 100 for six weeks and recently won the Grand Prize in the International Songwriting Competition in May.
TikTok helped play a large factor in the song’s popularity when fans compared Kushner’s vocals to well-known artists like Bon Iver, Hozier and The Lumineers. Since the release, Kushner has been generating hype for the album’s release by dropping singles throughout 2024.
The singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist released a 56 minute, 17-song full-length debut through the Miserable Music Group. The album tells the story of Kushner’s own music odyssey. Through lyrics contrasting human emotions, “The Dichotomy” brings listeners on a journey of despair, the tentativeness of faith and how the feeling of doubt will always exist.
Kushner lets the audience in on his own self-reflection, showing how our life experiences can shape everything around us. A stand-out track is “Humankind,” which truly gives a spotlight on human connection. The lyrics, “I put my faith in a sinner's town / Land of the free chained to the ground / When I look for kindness now / Humankind just lets me down,” reveal the sense of disappointment caused by others after exposing distrust and how he struggles to find a connection.
The lyrics Kushner uses to describe his pain and emotions throughout the album stand out. He truly invites listeners in, letting the audience know how he feels about human emotion and loneliness. Kushner also has an incredible vocal range, delivering a deep, rich baritone sound on all his tracks.
“Skin and Bones” ultimately shows how much Kushner struggles with uncertainty when it comes to love. Lyrics like, “As your flatter talk shivers down my spine / I hear the Holy One exposin' all the lies,” expose the recurring theme of doubt and the risk accompanying emotional connections.
The overall album’s theme is somewhat dark but shows his connections with God and Satan, light and darkness, good and evil, pleasure and pain, all amid Kushner’s continuous internal conflict. Apple Musicwrites about “the Dichotomy,“ saying, “soaring choruses contrast with somber beats on this introspective debut.”
“Darkerside” is a more upbeat song on the album, but it exposes how he finds himself asking a higher power to guide him to his redemption using the lyrics, “Been running too long, tryna catch my breath / There's a war up against my heart and head / And there ain't always blood in a fight / But you bring me back to the light.”
The final track of the album is “Daylight,” which is a fitting conclusion to the album. It is already a fan favorite, and it solidifies everything the album stands for. Between balancing love, darkness, light and his faith, the concluding track leaves listeners to reflect on their own emotions.
The album is a great introduction to Kushner’s music, vocals and how he displays so much emotional depth. His debut album is an insight into his journey of self-discovery and connecting with one's emotions, making the album worth listening to in full.
Up next for Kushner will be his “The Dichotomy Tour.” He announced the tour on his Instagram with dates in the U.S. and Europe.
