Watch DVSN Combine Aaliyah and Prince Tracks in Sultry BBC Radio Session

The Canadian duo blended "Purple Rain" and "One in a Million," while also playing their new single, "Mood."

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DVSN, the duo made up of singer Daniel Daley and producer Nineteen85, has found a major niche crafting inky, intimate R&B, and for their appearance on BBC Radio 1Xtra they gave themselves quite the challenge by choosing not just to cover two hall of fame tracks, but blend them together. In the session, DVSN performed a medley of Aaliyah's "One in a Million" and Prince's "Purple Rain," while also offering a searing rendition of their own single "Mood."

The group previously remixed "One in a Million" back in 2016, and has shown an ability to deftly handle tracks by R&B royalty, having also put their spin on Frank Ocean's"Godspeed." Daley's buoyant falsetto wrings every drop of emotion from the lyrics, while Nineteen85's understated acoustic-electric guitar performance adds a warm, soulful sheen to the cover.

In an interview with Pigeons & Planes, DVSN's creative director, Bryan Brock, discussed the way that foreign films have shaped the group's romantic and mysterious aesthetic.

"The idea behind most of the visuals on this album came from watching foreign films. In North America, we're exposed to so many big-budget film and TV productions that we can really appreciate the raw aspect of so many films from around the world," he explained. "To be specific, Asian, European, and Latin film all had three key things that stood out to us, that made them feel different from North American movies and TV: subtitles, color, and location. "

There's certainly a cinematic quality to DVSN's take on love, and between their set and the recent one from Daniel Caesar, these BBC Radio sessions are essential viewing for R&B fans. Watch the Aaliyah-Prince mashup above, and check out DVSN performing "Mood" down below. Also, read our interview with Brock about the importance of visuals to the group.

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