As we come to the end of 2012, there’s no better time to
catch up on any albums that may have passed you by. Miguel’s ‘Kaleidoscope Dream’ should be at the top of your list. Released in the early autumn, this is the second
album from the Californian singer and has slipped under the radar for many
Brits despite seeing critical and commercial success over in the States.
‘Kaleidscope Dream’ is an album of smooth and soulful RnB,
influenced by psychedelic funk rock and the current trend for futuristic
production. In this respect, he sits
alongside the likes of Drake, The Weeknd, Frank Ocean and Jai Paul – another component
in a year dominated by RnB. There may
not be as much depth to the storytelling in comparison to his contemporaries,
but he makes up for this in the album’s pop immediacy. This is an altogether more frivolous and
funky record, but also more accessible, and the spectacular production proves
Miguel to be a true artist.
Lyrically, this sticks to the familiar themes of drugs, sex
and alcohol – or, on How Many Drinks? sex
and alcohol combined (“how many drinks will it take you to leave with me?”). These songs may not be complex narratives (Candles In The Wind comes closest to his peers), but their simplicity is infectious – ranging from the sweet
and loving Adorn (“just let my love adorn
you”), to the pure sexual lust of Arch
& Point (“baby arch your back and point your toes”). There’s also an element of humour to Miguel’s
work that keeps things light-hearted. Do You begins with the line “do you like
drugs?”, before playfully switching to “do you like hugs?”, whilst Pussy Is Mine is included not for
gratuitous sex but to show Miguel as something of an improvising joker in the
studio. Throughout the album, his tenor
vocals and falsetto take inspiration from the great 80s masters, Michael
Jackson and Prince – sweet yet powerful.
However, it’s the production that thrills more than any provocative
lyrics, as it squelches, fizzes, whirls and pounds in a dizzying mix. The album opens with lead single Adorn, with a beat that pops like
droplets in a vacuum and a soulful vocal, sounding like a modern day Sexual Healing. This is followed by Don’t Look Back and Use Me,
both of which utilise grinding metallic synths and throbbing beats. The title track samples the funk bassline of
Labi Siffre’s I Got The (more
familiar as the bassline to Eminem’s My
Name Is), accompanied by lazy strings and layered vocal harmonies that
whirl with heady effect. Arch & Point features guitars and a
minimal, heavy beat for an edgier take on RnB, whilst …All glitters and sparkles with dramatic impact as the lyrics
repeat “I want it all”. Not every song
is a hit – the low-fi Gravity has
more of a hip-hop flavour, whilst Where’s
The Fun In Forever is a little forgettable.
Yet the complex web of influences, nuance and pop hooks present in each
track reflect a musician at the zenith of creativity.
You may not know it yet, but ‘Kaleidoscope Dream’ is one of
the top albums of 2012. Listen now
before the year is out.
4/5
Gizzle’s Choice:
* Adorn
* Don’t Look Back
* Arch & Point
Listen: 'Kaleidoscope Dream' is available now.
Watch: Miguel comes to the UK in early January.
