Kaleidoscope Dream

by Miguel

Overview

Elements of Miguel's second album started to reach the public around the time "Lotus Flower Bomb," the singer's collaboration with Wale, began to overstay its welcome on mainstream urban radio. From late February 2012 through that April, Miguel released a trio of free three-song EPs dubbed Art Dealer Chic. Altogether, the material was funkier and weirder than that of All I Want Is You. The high points eclipsed that album's singles, and some out-there moments confirmed that the freaky and daring qualities of "Teach Me" were not simply dabblings. Kaleidoscope Dream includes some of the ADC songs in varying form, as well as the six songs from the July and September album-preview EPs. The small quantity of new material makes Kaleidoscope Dream anticlimactic for some. For them, the trade-off is that they heard the majority of 2012's most pleasurable pop-R&B album digital Advent calendar style. It leads with "Adorn," the singer's second solo number one R&B/Hip-Hop single; there's some atmospheric, mechanical/organic likeness to Marvin Gaye's 1982 ballad "Sexual Healing," but it trades lust for soul-baring affection and carries some of the era's sweetest backgrounds and a knockout falsetto howl over probing but unobtrusive bass. That song and most of the others stay true to the album's title and maintain an illusory atmosphere. This sense is intensified by some unexpected touches, like an interlude where Miguel softly croons part of the Zombies' "Time of the Season" over synthesizer goo, and the hovering title track, which incorporates the bassline from Labi Siffre's "I Got The" (in a manner heavier than Eminem's "My Name Is") and some "Strawberry Letter 23"-like guitar swirls. There are instances where the lyrical content edges too close to "artsy" teenage erotic poetry, but no song is without an attractive quality, whether it's a heavenly melody, a riveting rhythm, or a boggling production nuance. The set is cunningly sequenced, too. The loose "Where's the Fun in Forever" -- atmospheric yet mostly drums and bass, with some cool and casual background vocals from Alicia Keys -- melts into ADC highlight "Arch & Point," which is something like a skeletal power pop number slowed to a seductively squalid prowl. In its new context, the back half of that combination sounds fresh. Miguel is listed first in the songwriting credits of each song, and he's involved with much of the production, but he gets valuable support from earlier associates Salaam Remi and Happy Perez, as well as the likes of Warren "Oak" Felder, Andrew "Pop" Wansel, Steve "Ace" Mostyn, and J*Davey's Brook D'Leau, whose baleful keyboards on the closing "Candles in the Rain" flirt with evil. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	09/25/2012
Label:	Rca
UPC:	0887254720317

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Adorn
2. Don't Look Back
3. Use Me
4. Do You...
5. Kaleidoscope Dream
6. The Thrill

Disc 2

7. How Many Drinks?
8. Where's the Fun in Forever
9. Arch & Point
10. Pussy Is Mine
11. Candles in the Sun

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Miguel   Primary Artist,Drums,Co-Producer,Lead Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Paul Pesco   Guitar
Brian Dembow   Viola
Bruce Dukov   Violin
Salaam Remi   Bass,Drums,Guitar,Keyboards
Lisa M. Sutton   Violin
Rafael Rishik   Violin
Steve Mostyn   Co-Producer
Sarah Thornblade   Violin
Stephen Erdody   Celli,Cello
Alyssa Park   Violin
Darius Campo   Violin
Paula Hochhalter   Celli,Cello
Dave Walther   Viola
Shawn Mann   Viola
Eun Mee Ahn   Violin
Roberto Cani   Violin
Fisticuffs   Multi Instruments
Timothy Davis   String Conductor
Kim Scholes   Celli,Cello
Ronald Kelly   Drums
Sara Parkins   Violin
Jo Ann Turovsky   Harp
Tamara Hatwan   Violin
Brook D'Leau   Keyboards
Phillip Levy   Violin
Victoria Miskolczy   Viola
Cecelia Tsan   Celli,Cello
Brian Dembrow   Viola
Jessica E. Guideri   Violin
Dru DeCaro   Guitar,Lead Guitar
Jayme Silverstein   Bass
Eun-Mee Anh   Violin

Technical Credits

Alicia Keys   Composer
Paul Pesco   Composer
Andrew Robertson   Assistant,Recording Assistant
Bruce Dukov   Principal
Labi Siffre   Composer
Mac Robinson   Composer
Salaam Remi   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis   Composer,Producer
Steve Mostyn   Composer
Stephen Erdody   Principal
Arden Altino   Composer
Arden "Keyz" Altino   Producer
Manny Marroquin   Mixing
Ronnie James   Composer
Rich Costey   Mixing
Brian Warfield   Composer,Pro-Tools
Nathan Perez   Composer
Warren Felder   Composer
Phillana Williams   Management
Christian Plata   Mixing,Recording
Fisticuffs   Producer
Chris Galland   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Chris Kasych   Pro-Tools
Tom Coyne   Mastering
Gleyder "Gee" Disla   Engineer,Recording
Kim Lumpkin   Production Coordination
Erwin Gorostiza   Creative Director
Serge Tsai   Recording
Peter Rotter   Contractor
Roger Nichols   Composer
Paul Williams   Composer
Courtney Walker   Design,Art Direction
The Fisticuffs   Musician,Producer
Sergio "Sergical" Tsai   Engineer
Tim Davies   String Arrangements
Mark Pitts   A&R,Executive Producer
Happy Perez   Producer
Timothy Saccenti   Photography
Tanisha Broadwater   Production Coordination
Wayne Barrow   Executive Producer
Kevin "Kev-O" Wilson   Assistant,Recording
Jessica Smalls   Grooming
Clayton Reilly   Composer
Donnie Meadows   Production Coordination
Brian Dembrow   Principal
Andrew Wansel   Composer
Koby Hass   Assistant,Recording
Miguel   Design,Engineer,Producer,Pro-Tools,Recording,Art Direction,Creative Director
Allen Arthur   Composer
Keith Justice   Composer
Elle Varner   Composer
Oakwud   Producer
Phatboiz   Producer
Delbert Bowers   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Eric Isip   Mixing Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Joseph Episcopo   Stylist
Tish Celstine   Grooming
Tyler Bunting   Engineer,Assistant,Recording
Jasmine Benjamin   Stylist
Kristin Walstrom   Assistant,Recording Assistant
Lance Powell   Mixing,Engineer,Assistant,Pro-Tools,Recording,Recording Assistant
Michel Michelakis   Drum Programming
Miguel Pimentel   Composer,Engineer,Pro-Tools,Executive Producer
Nycole Russell   Composer
Tanisha Boardwater   Production Coordination
Pop Wansel   Producer