Ain't No Damn Way! (stylized in all caps) is the fourth studio album by Canadian electronic music producer Kaytranada. The album was released on August 15, 2025, through RCA Records.[2][3]
The album was announced on August 11, with the first single, "Space Invader" arriving shortly thereafter on August 12. Inspired by a sample of Latrelle and Kelis "My Life" the single showcases a hypnotic, house-inflected groove and highlights Kaytranada's production style.[4]
Following his Grammy Awards nominated 2024 album Timeless, Ain't No Damn Way! marks Kaytranada's first full-length original release since then.[5] He has described the album as designed for "workouts, dancing and studying for people that love beats," underscoring its instrumental, beat-driven orientation.[6]
Simultaneously with the release, he announced a co-headlining North American tour with French electronic duo Justice set to begin on October 16 in Vancouver.[7]
Background and release
Kaytranada announced Ain't No Damn Way! on August 11, 2025, sharing its title and release timing via social media.[2] The lead single, "Space Invader" was released the following day.[3] "Backstabs" was previously released as a single in April 2021 by record club Vinyl Me, Please in collaboration with Pitchfork and Lexus.[8]
Artistic direction
In promotional comments, Kaytranada emphasized that the album is an intentional return to his dance-oriented roots, stating it is "strictly for workouts, dancing and studying and for people that love beats".[6]
Promotion and touring
Alongside the album release, Kaytranada announced a fall tour, co-headlined with Justice. The tour begins October 16 in Vancouver and includes stops in Seattle, Chicago, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Miami and more.[7]
Ain't No Damn Way! received positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 79, based on 6 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[9]
NME's Kyann-Sian Williams gave the album four stars rating out of five and wrote, "Ain't No Damn Way! goes a long way in proving why Kaytranada remains the scene's most influential conductor, tightening and loosening the groove with tiny gestures: a clipped snare here, a sudden synth swell there. Without special guests this time around, he doubles down on what he does best: directing the dancefloor with precision, patience and pure instinct.[12] Andrew Ryce of Pitchfork wrote, "Every drum hits with purpose, the basslines walk and burrow every which way, samples and voices are embedded in strange but intuitive ways. It's a beat tape that works as pop music for a generation of fans who have been conditioned to view instrumental electronic music as worthy of their attention, too, thanks to prominent representatives like Celestin himself."[13]
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