Song of the Day - Sometimes - Alle Farben, featuring Graham Candy

I've been waiting awhile to post this song.  I'd say that over the past few weeks it's been my favorite, and for several reasons.  I love the music...the percussive beats and the piano/synth melodies are contemplative and head bopping at the same time.  The singer on the tune is Graham Candy, the New Zealander with a voice that's soooo reminiscent of Macy Gray, and who's been popping up on this blog a lot lately.  In this video you can see that his unique, raspy voice does not match his face at all, but I love it.  Finally there's the lyrics.  Check em' out...

    

Whenever you're feeling lonely in our vacuum world,

when all the lights go out, your own land starts to blurt,

when everything around you, seem to fall apart,

and all that's left is bare, your feelings start to storm

Sometimes you're feeling stronger

sometimes you're feeling week

sometimes you're feeling colder

but the light will bring the heat

Sometimes you're feeling lucky

sometimes you're feeling on

but if you don't start believing,

one day you'll reach the sun

oah oaaaah

reach the sun

Whenever you're feeling lonely

walking in the storm

close your eyes and tell me,

can you feel the warmth?

Sometimes you're feeling stronger

sometimes you're feeling week

sometimes you're feeling colder

but the light will bring the heat

Sometimes you're feeling lucky

sometimes you're feeling on

but when you don't start believing

one day you'll reach the sun,

oah oaaaah

reach the sun

reach the sun

ooh reach the sun

ooh reach the sun

Ooh, this is the perfect storm of songs to me!  I've only owned it for a few weeks and already it's got almost 100 plays.  It's the kind of song you can just put on repeat for a few times and never tire of. So, if you like songs with a nice message and some great chill vibes, then check out German deejay/producer Alle Farben and Graham Candy with their wonderful Sometimes... 

Song of the Day - The Sun - Parov Stelar, featuring Graham Candy

Now I'm gonna tell my mama

That I'm a traveler

I'm gonna follow the sun

Here's a nice, groovy chill tune by Austrian deejay/producer Parov Stelar that hearkens the adventurous, but lonely life of a traveler.  The singer on the track, New Zealander Graham Candy,  is one that's heard on Robin Schulz's sweet 4 Life, and his unique voice still reminds me of Macy Gray. Check out The Sun... 

Robin Shulz' "Sugar" - A Track by Track Review

It's been a long time since I've reviewed anything on here, other than my commentary in my Song of the Day posts. With so much new stuff out there lately, I've been wanting to put out some thoughts on what's good and what's not. I've been itching to review Janet Jackson's Unbreakable, Avici's Stories, Ellie Goulding's Delirium, Adele's 25 and more, but I just haven't had the time. Well, I've got a little at the moment, so I'm going to share a review of my favorite album of the season and that's Robin Schulz's Sugar.

You may know Robin Schulz from his melancholy and mesmerizing working of Lilly Wood and the Prick's hit Prayer in C last year, and I've posted a few of his songs both from his last record, Prayer, and the current one that I'll be commenting on below. Robin Schulz is a German deejay/producer whose touches on the songs he reworks simply catch my ear with every tune, and after his successes with Prayer in C and remixes of Mr. Prob's Waves and Clean Bandit's Rather Be, Robin seems to be shooting for stardom and competing with the big name deejay/producers like Avicii, Calvin Harris and the like with his latest, Sugar.

Sugar begins where Prayer left off, only this time in a more pop friendly manner. With tender melodies and funky beats, differing guest vocalists on each track, Sugar is an awesome mix of funky jams and chill beats, and a must for anyone who loves dance music with chill vibes.  There's not one song I can say I truly dislike. Check out my thoughts on Sugar...

Headlights

Oh, I know why you chasing all the headlights

Oh, 'cause you always tryna get ahead of light

Baby, when you go

You know I'll be waiting on the other side

And I know it's cold 

But if you stay then I could keep you warm at night

Sugar opens with the song Headlights, a tender and beautiful song with sung by raspy voiced singer Ilsey. The song starts out with some very melancholy strums of the guitar, but soon revs up into more uplifting and inspirational strings. The song was released ahead of the album, way back in April, and it actually reached #17 on Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart.

Sugar

Now this was the song that got me from the start!  What so far is the biggest single off the album, the title cut one of the best tracks on the whole thing, and that's saying a lot.  With funky guitar riffs and smooth vocals from Canadian singer Francesco Yates, this one's as smooth as anything and oh so funky!  Check it out...

Sugar how you get so fly... 

Heatwave

The third track off of Sugar features smooth-voiced Akon on vocals.  This one's typical of the R&B singer's style, melodic and catchy and it stays in your head long after a listen.  Check out this island jammish mix of the tune on Akon Beatz YouTube page right here.

Yellow

This collaboration with English production team Disciple is very mellow.  Not my favorite, but it still does what chill music is supposed to do, and that's provide some pleasing, relaxing beats as a background to almost anything.

Show Me Love

From what appears to be the newest single, Show Me Love has the potential to do very well.  I posted it as Song of the Day last week and it garnered a respectable number of clicks.  I've also played it for some friends who all liked it, as well.  This one is another chill tune, melancholy and melodic and it features some really nice male vocals, presumably from an artist named J.U.D.G.E., who is credited with collaborating on this track.  Great song!

Love Me Loud

Here's a super-pleasing tune that's also got potential.  I simply love the vocals from folkish singer Aleesia, and the chorus is both uplifting and super-catchy.  Love Me Loud is another favorite after the title cut.  Check it out...

Pride

Oh, this one's just so sweet and happy!  With jazzy horns and soulful R&B vocals, this tune sounds like something that would come out of a modern-day Motown.   Another great one with some help from the French production team of Nius and soFLY, as well as some sampling of Marvin Gaye.

Find Me

Find Me is a haunting electronic jam that would work great on a late-night dance floor. 

Titanic

The horns that begin this song sound like a call to arms from the Planet of the Apes, lol.  Seriously though, this is another nice one, but it's pretty much as dramatic as the movie by the same name.  If we go down, we'll go down together...

This Is Your Life

Out of all the songs on Sugar, this one reminds me the most of Robin's previous set.  It's very chill, very melodic, and again a perfect background song for any situation.

Save Tonight

When I came across this one on my first listen of Sugar I immediately recognized it.  Unfortunately it is the only song I sometimes skip off the album, and that's only because the original version of the song, by Eagle Eye Cherry, was such a good song that to me it's hard for anybody to match the intensity of the original.  This version features a female singer named Solomay and it's nice, but no match for the original.

4 Life

I can't help but think of Macy Gray when I hear this one.   Guest vocalist New Zealander Graham Candy has a most unusual voice for a male singer, but I checked out some of his own stuff and sure enough, those are his vocals on the track.  Nevertheless I will probably always hear Macy when I listen to this nice love song.

Wave Goodbye

Here's a song that reminds me of something Avicii would do.  It's with bluesy, jazzy and a little dancey/chill-loungey collaboration with producer Henry PFR and singer Jeffrey Jey of Eiffel 65 fame.  Great production and definitely a nice complimentary jam to this set! 

World Turns Grey

Here's yet another head bobbing groove mix, this time of New Zealand singer Princess Chelsea's World Turns Grey.  This one also has a melancholy feel, as the title might lead you to believe, only this time it's the piano and soft vocals that give the song its aura.  Nice! 

Moonlit Sky

Under the moonlit sky

The stars fall and die

How the sea rages, oh love braises

It's like the world you've known

Before it's lost and gone

Unlike a world you've seen

Before it's lost to me

The final track has got a familiar voice, and feel, to it.  Electronic music legend Moby offers up his services in this nicely produced tune, and The Void Pacific Choir lends an ethereal, gospel feel to this beautiful song.

So there you have it!  If you're a fan of quality electronic music that's varied, danceable and just utterly enjoyable then I highly recommend Robin Schulz's Sugar.  One of the best albums of the season!