TELEVISTA: An Album Review
By: Xavier Serrano
DMV’s own EDM artist Yaego continues to push the needle with a gift of his own as we revisit a dark horse of a release with his most recent album, TELEVISTA, on December 25, 2024. The word “quality” pales in comparison when Yaego’s name is brought up in conversation. Curating music since his middle school tenure, Yaego’s diversity as a producer shines across multiple facets, encapsulating listeners in a world of euphoric pleasure through a mixture of city pop samples, afro-house, and dance hall incorporation.
Originally born in Prince George's County, Maryland, to a Salvadorian family, Diego Ventura has always taken a liking to music. The 22-year-old would gain a loyal following with some of his songs reaching over 100,000 plays. The curator expresses his creativity through Electronic Dance Music and produces “type beats,” a form of production catered to a specific artist’s sound. His signature dream-state production takes the listener through a blip in time, fully immersed in his multiple-layered creation.
On Christmas Day of 2024, Yaego delivered the greatest gift of all: his anticipated third album release of TELEVISTA. The 7-track album is led off by one of the album’s leading singles: GLASSJAW. The track transports the listener to a cave with a torch as you hear an eerie cry in the distance, accompanied by a haunting, yet groovy production. Before the first minute mark has approached, you’re lost, nodding your head as your body has subconsciously begun moving on its own, as it wanders deeper into the cave. While the song progresses, you find yourself fully immersed in the center of the cave, jamming to yourself as the nebula sky illuminates the entrance to said cave.
The vibes progress throughout the album as you exit the cave and embark on your journey into the night. The third track of the album, SOJU, features Wzrdd, another EDM producer. Named after an alcoholic beverage produced in Korea, the song demands all heads to bop: “Coming at me sideways, coming at me sideways, coming at me sideways” would sound off as you exit the cave; the twinkle in the night sky your only source of navigation. You follow the choppy voice, but that voice dies down as a slew of synth waves greet you with open arms. The sounds serenade you as the stars jump in unison with the energetic production, elevating you from a lonely path to intergalactic heights.
As you float alongside the space debris with little care, a beautiful sound emerges from the stars as Yaego and featured artist Jsn dance across the nebulae, searching for more ears to fill and hearts to capture. The feelings captured within the album cannot be described — but only felt. Yaego continues to perfect his craft as a talented curator in the EDM scene as he looks to revitalize an underappreciated genre by performing locally in the DMV area. Yaego’s most recent single, ID63, is out now. As he is preparing for another album release, we can only assume great things are to come.