Let’s double the nostalgia! “Just A Kid” by Timmy Trumpet & Captain Curtis fuses punk-rock with 90s Italo Dance
• Punk rock in the breakdown
• Captain Curtis‘ growing expertise in “modern” Italo Dance
• Catchy, fun track for those nostalgic
Some months back, I touched on the allegations about Timmy and his ghost producers — and my opinion remains unchanged. There’s a need for transparency in EDM, however that’s for another day.
“Just A Kid” is a compelling track, thanks to the collective efforts of the producers behind it, including our captain “Captain Curtis”. I have to sideline some prior details for the sake of good music and appreciate the mind behind this.
In 2019, Captain Curtis ended up receiving my criticism for a generic debut on Revealed Miami Sampler of that year with “Pirate Bass“; following an amiable chat with him, plenty happened, including his evolution towards an Italo Dance-Hardstyle fusion that is picking up steam lately. Just to give an idea: Captain Curtis happened to pair up with ItaloBrothers for “Rave Machine”, and they literally are icons from the 90s Italo Disco scene, with pumping kicks and retro vocals. Adding that pinch of Hardstyle and Big Room inflates the flavor like a wise dose of spicy genres: something we saw several times other acts trying out such as W&W and Axmo.
“Just A Kid” takes up this trend and dares to venture into nostalgia territory with the breakdown, infusing 90s-style punk rock. It’s something that the SINPHONY founder has already fiddled with, starting from a surprising synergy with Smash Mouth (yes, the one behind the Shrek Soundtrack). Here, those vibes are retained, although with a decently hard-hitting drop to augment it!
There’s not much to nitpick about the breakdown, a standard punk-ish sequence that knows to be a secondary element and doesn’t even try to change the pattern, delivering an enjoyable half of a minute with a vocal that intensifies the climax. Captain Curtis did a gorgeous job making a smooth transition into the drop— increasing the BPM— and then boosting with a Hardstyle kick that keeps hitting for a bouncy experience! The melody is really enjoyable and the vocal blends seamlessly, making this tune more appreciable by the minute. Say whatever you want about Timmy Trumpet, his collaborations are pure entertainment. And that’s what the audience’s looking out for.
“Just A Kid” is tailored for people who don’t feel so young anymore and want to be nostalgic, with a singalong riff and dance along as the drop hits. That’s great, because this one does it’s job without holding back and not forcing the retro elements. Great work, captain!
