For the past several years, Spotify Original podcast DISSECT has delved deep into impactful albums, including Frank Ocean's Blonde, Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly, Beyonc 's Lemonade, and more. The show crossed the pond this April and premiered in the U.K. as Decode. The new podcast features the same track-by-track analysis and insightful commentary, but with notable albums coming out of the U.K.-starting with rapper Dave's Brit and Mercury Award-winning 2019 album PSYCHODRAMA.
Tune in as Zambian-British author Kayo Chingonyi dives into an in-depth exploration of the lyrical metaphors embedded throughout Dave's breathtaking debut album. With each song, he unpacks the modern British Black experience as Dave relates it to criminal justice, race, poverty, sexuality, toxic masculinity, and mental health stigma.
Kayo devotes one episode to Black and, in particular, Dave's performance of the track at the Brit Awards in February 2020. Dave's live rendition included new, politically charged verses that took the audience by surprise, ignited a conversation about racism in the U.K., and resonated with fans: The track saw an 1,889% increase in streams on Spotify after the performance.
For the Record asked Kayo to reflect on what makes Decode unique to the UK, as well as the impact of Dave's salient and raw rendition of Black.
Decode is a new podcast, but takes its shape after Spotify's successful DISSECT show in the U.S. What parts of the podcast are you keeping close to the original model? DISSECT really honours musical creativity, meeting each album with curiosity and passion. With Decode, we've kept that sense of reverence and also that passion, that connection to music as a universal language that can travel to all corners of the world, lodging itself in the hearts and minds of listeners. Both shows ask questions about that magical process of communion between artist, song, and listener.
How are you making it your own? How does your own background as a poet, lyricist, and vocalist shape this? As a writer all that I ever try to do is bring out the latent music in language, in words. As an emcee of Dave's stripe, that's a central concern, too. He's interested not just in what words mean but how that meaning is enacted by their sound. As far as making it my own, I think it's important to make the connection to Dave's work as a writer. There's maybe an inside perspective I can give as someone who has been writing and spitting lyrics since my early teens. I recognise the world Dave describes.
Why is it important for the U.K. to have a version of this show for itself? The U.K. is a centre of global musical culture. There are many, of course, but I think the U.K.'s role has been downplayed in recent history. Things are starting to shift, and as they do, it's important to look at musical culture from a global perspective. Black music especially is a global sound. It has always been, because our music travels with us.
What makes PSYCHODRAMA by Dave worthy of decoding first? PSYCHODRAMA is a balance of compositional and lyrical excellence. It's not just music as entertainment, although you can shock out to it. The album honours the arcane roots of music as a technology, a kind of spiritual communication across distances of culture and space. It's an album that I think will go on to define our times.
Last week you discussed the track Black, which had a moment that stood alone during the Brits last year-it even has its own Genius lyrics page. What did that rendition, at that event, signify? Adding that verse really showed Dave's ability to respond to the times and also the way a track like Black will, I'm sad to say, always be resonant in a society like ours, built on what it is built on. That was a state of the nation moment at the Brits, an opportunity to step from behind the veil of entertainment that Dave took and ran with. It was the throwing down of a gauntlet-to government, to listeners, to fellow artists.
What conversation are you hoping to spark or continue from the 2020 Brits performance to this podcast episode? I want to engage people in the layers of history that come together to shape our present moment. There is so much we could be asking questions about and, above all, I think PSYCHODRAMA invites its listeners to keep asking these questions. That's what I would like people to take from the podcast-this desire to ask.
What album are you looking forward to decoding next? So many! I'm keen to look at older albums. Look How Long by Loose Ends, Blue Lines by Massive Attack, Timeless by Goldie, or Dummy by Portishead, maybe. In terms of recent albums, Burial's Untrue made me shed tears the first time I listened to it so it's high on my list.
Ahead of the 2021 Brits, tune in to the Black episode of Decode below.
Europe Stories
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
07/08/2025
July 8 2025, 22:30 (PDT) Tata Motors & Dolby Bring Dolby Atmos to Harrier.ev, R...
11/07/2025
If you've ever wondered what might be playing in Clark Kent's headphones...
11/07/2025
AI and Multimedia Authenticity Standards Collaboration launches two papers to guide the future of AI integration, today at the AI for Good Global Summit
The...
10/07/2025
The current holder of the prestigious Thomson Foundation Young Journalist of the Year Award has been forced to stop reporting over fears for her safety in Afgha...
10/07/2025
Spotify is turning up the volume on Australian music with a multipronged initiative designed to highlight the dominance of Australian artists on the global stag...
10/07/2025
This is not a drill: Oasis is back on the road-marking its first live performanc...
10/07/2025
The music industry depends on fresh ideas, bold voices, and emerging talent. Yet across the U.K., too many young musicians lack the space to develop their craft...
10/07/2025
10 Jul 2025
VEON and Cohen Circle Secure Investor Commitments for Kyivstar Listing Kyiv, New York, Dubai, and Philadelphia - July 10, 2025 - VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq:...
10/07/2025
Thursday 10 July 2025
The Very Small Creatures
Jaime's Treetop Tales
Emerald
BooSnoo! Christmas Mashup
Pip & Posy's Spooktacular Party
The Very Sm...
10/07/2025
Thursday 10 July 2025
Brand new rewards are coming to Sky customers, with free ...
10/07/2025
Comscore Achieves Full JIC Certification for National TV Measurement Including...
09/07/2025
Wednesday 9 July 2025
Sky Broadband now has the UK's fastest broadband spee...
09/07/2025
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced Jeff Williams will transition his role as chief operating officer later this month to Sabih Khan, Apple's senior...
08/07/2025
In an era where digital threats to journalists are becoming increasingly aggressive and widespread, MediaSafe Africa launches as a vital online resource to help...
08/07/2025
This summer, as the energy builds for one of the biggest moments in women's ...
08/07/2025
UKTV today announces that Richard Watsham, Chief Creative Officer at UKTV and Global Director of Acquisitions for BBC Studios/UKTV, has decided to step down fro...
08/07/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. - July 8, 2025 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced a reco...
08/07/2025
Arvato Systems Optimizes Customer Communication with AOK Niedersachsen
New project in the statutory health insurance sector
Arvato Systems and AOK Niedersach...
08/07/2025
On August 7, Apple Arcade is adding four exclusive games to its diverse catalogue of more than 200 fun games for players to enjoy, all free from ads and in-app ...
07/07/2025
** MEDIA ALERT **
VIZ Media Ignites AX 2025 with Star-Studded Panels, Exclus...
07/07/2025
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA As Apple Music marks its 10th anniversary this year, Apple unveils its most ambitious creative project to date: a brand-new state-of-the...
07/07/2025
RT has announced that Mark Bignell has been appointed Commissioning Editor for Comedy following a public competition. This senior editorial position will drive...
04/07/2025
The Summer Reading Challenge has inspired children across the U.K. to embrace a ...
04/07/2025
Friday 4 July 2025
Watch the trailer here https://youtu.be/Od5WpvWmDr8
Further...
04/07/2025
The Pitch comes to RT Radio 1 airwaves this Sunday at 7pm. The Pitch is a brand...
03/07/2025
For our Vario-Jib, as well as for a repertoire of weights, we now have carts that make transport easier...
03/07/2025
One of our latest innovations: Slider Drive Unit!
Our Vario Slider not only comes with improvements and new features, but also with its own drive unit!
Our i...
03/07/2025
The 360 EVO lives up to its name: 360-degree rotation not only on the pan axis, but also on the roll axis, enables filmmakers to take their creative visions eve...
03/07/2025
What a buzzing few days at BSCExpo in London!
We were thrilled to connect with so many talented professionals from the world of cinematography.
A huge thank ...
03/07/2025
ADOLESCENCE - Shot with Panther Tower"The whole rig had to be detachable mid-episode
Netflix limited drama series Adolescence has been gaining attentio...
03/07/2025
** MEDIA ALERT ** Shonen Jump Store Hosting Los Angeles Pop-up During Anime Exp...
03/07/2025
Thursday 3 July 2025
David Harewood and Matthew Broome in Mozart: Genius for Hi...
03/07/2025
The Sky WNT Fund supports Womens National Team players with a 30,000 bursaryThursday 3 July 2025
Sky Ireland has announced the four recipients of the 2025 Sky...
02/07/2025
Calrec expands ecosystem at NAB 2025 giving broadcasters access to dynamic workflows and ultimate flexibility Helping broadcasters meet the shifting needs of me...
02/07/2025
02 Jul 2025
VEON Raises USD 200 Million in Private Bond Placement Dubai, July 1, 2025: VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator ( VEON ), announces ...
02/07/2025
Brand new factual series follows mechanic and self-taught engineer Dom Chinea as he makes the move of his life to the far west of Cornwall
UKTV today announces...
02/07/2025
Rohde & Schwarz acquires ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH and expands its T&M ...
02/07/2025
Wuppertal July 2, 2025
Riedel Communications Launches RefSuite Ecosystem for S...
02/07/2025
Andrew will serve as Chair of ABC alongside his role at NED, APL Media, where he supports the executive team with strategic insight and global expansion plans. ...
01/07/2025
The launch of Code of Silence, coupled with the Britains Got Talent semi final, gave ITV its best Sunday night of 2025.
The first episode of the new crime dr...
01/07/2025
ITV and Mammoth Screen have announced the start of filming for Betrayal, a gripp...
01/07/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
01/07/2025
Vocal-processing plug-in joins NOIZ Hub series
Launched in 2024, KIT Plugins' NOIZ Hub series was created with the aim of providing a range of professio...
01/07/2025
New self-paced learning programme announced
Mastering.com have announced the availability of a new online course designed to cover the fundamentals of maste...
01/07/2025
The Traitors are coming: Get your first taste of the global hit as Season 1 of T...
01/07/2025
cetecom advanced certifies Rohde & Schwarz test solution for the verification of...
01/07/2025
RT has announced that Teresa Smith has been appointed Commissioning Editor with responsibility for Factual Entertainment following a public competition. This s...
For the past several years, Spotify Original podcast DISSECT has delved deep into impactful albums, including Frank Ocean's Blonde, Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly, Beyonc 's Lemonade, and more. The show crossed the pond this April and premiered in the U.K. as Decode. The new podcast features the same track-by-track analysis and insightful commentary, but with notable albums coming out of the U.K.-starting with rapper Dave's Brit and Mercury Award-winning 2019 album PSYCHODRAMA. 
