Ronald Chase Amick, the performer known as 6 Dogs, tragically passed away in January, leaving behind a deep catalog of uniquely personal, nostalgic, and uplifting songs and a finished album, originally scheduled to be released February 26th. The album originally had the title Wavebuilder’s Club, but shortly before he passed, the artist chose to change the name of the project to RONALD, signifying a new beginning for the young singer-rapper. Recorded and distributed completely independently (Chase owned his own masters), the album matches Chase’s original vision to a tee, and it remains unaltered since he finished the album and turned it into DSPs in January. Featuring guest appearances from close friends Riz La Vie and Tahj Keeton, RONALD arrives on March 12th.
Created in collaboration with executive producer and engineer Daniel Hartzog, RONALD transports Chase’s lilting melodies into a sparkling, atmospheric sonic realm. Almost entirely free from explicit lyrics, RONALD was created with the masses in mind. Chase hoped that the album would help his fans confront their demons with positivity–to embrace their feelings, instead of succumbing to them, and to come out the other side happier. The album benefits from Chase’s innate instincts for hooks and his lyricism, which is alternately playful and profound. A monument to the artist’s influence and singular point-of-view, the forthcoming RONALD album doesn’t wallow in tragedy or despair, but lights a path forward for those dealing with internal strife.
Today, the 6 Dogs family & team release RONALD, the final album 6 Dogs recorded during his lifetime. Stream Here. RONALD is exactly the album 6 Dogs, known by friends and family by his middle name, Chase, set out to release. The final album was delivered to his distributor shortly ahead of his passing with initial plans to release on February 26th. Due to his tragic passing, RONALD was pushed back two weeks, but everything remained the same – the singles, timeline, music videos, album artwork. Everything you hear and see from RONALD is exactly as Chase had planned.
What I love most about RONALD is that it all seems to live within the same bubble – which might be the perfect metaphor for the album. It’s like Chase was blowing bubbles one sunny day in Georgia without realizing we might all get trapped inside one and experience his world. Like a bubble, RONALD has this whimsical quality to it that feels nostalgic (the opening track is titled “When I Was a Baby”), but he’s ultimately sharing his hopes for the future and looking for ways to find positivity in hardship. There’s also a through line connection to the stars and finding one’s place within the universe (see “Starfire (Teen Titans)” & “Tesla Tesla”). It couples perfectly with the atmospheric, starry-eyed production from Daniel Hartzog, which brings me back again to the bubble – upon listening, you get a hint of a sparkle when it hits the light just right.
RONALD was meant to represent a new beginning for 6 Dogs and be a shining light of positivity for those battling their demons. Ronald Chase Amick, known to us as 6 Dogs, left the Earth far too soon, but he left behind a catalog of music and a legacy of kindness that will live on forever.
© 2021, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
