Kaleidoscope Dream

Miguel | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 2, 2012)
• Original Release Date: 2012
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B008QZ9EC6
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (221 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #504 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #8 in Music > Rap & Hip-Hop
  • #19 in Music > R&B > Soul > General AAS

Track Listings

1. Adorn

2. Don't Look Back

3. Use Me

4. Do You...

5. Kaleidoscope Dream

6. The Thrill

7. How Many Drinks?

8. Where's The Fun In Forever

9. Arch & Point

10. P***y Is Mine

11. Candles In The Sun

Editorial Reviews

Grammy nominated singer/songwriter releases his highly anticipated sophomore album Kaleidoscope Dream. Coming off of two #1 R&B singles and a near gold debut on his break thru album All I Want Is You, Miguel is poised for continued success.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb; One of 2012's 'Crowning Achievements' October 5, 2012

By Michael Brent Faulkner, Jr. VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

Twenty-five year old R&B singer/songwriter Miguel joins singer Frank Ocean in an elite league ushering in the new hipster/eclectic R&B movement. Miguel channels Prince on 2012's excellent Kaleidoscope Dream in which the songwriting is superb, the production unique, and Miguel's pipes soar. Kaleidoscope Dream follows up 2010's All I Want Is You, which was brought to a wider audience thanks to no. 1 R&B single "Sure Thing." Led by no. 1 R&B single "Adorn," and continuing promotion through second single "Do You," Kaleidoscope Dream is nothing short of a `treat.'

Opener "Adorn" mixes 80's sensibilities and soulful cues. Miguel's vocals are beautiful characterized by superb nuance and killer falsetto. The songwriting is chivalrous and thoughtful, with the chorus being a highlight: "You just gotta let my love...adorn you...know that I adore you/just that, baby). Overall "Adorn" is nothing sort of excellence epitomized.

"Don't Look Back" features more top-notch production including keyboard synth pads and dusty drum programming. Vocally, Miguel to allure with irresistible falsetto. The valedictory songwriting is capped off by a notable chorus: "If I (If I), Don't make it back before the sun (the sun)/all you have to do is run (run)/just promise you'll run (run) and don't look back...and promise me you'll run..." An outro, lifting off classic "Time of the Season" closes cleverly.

"Use Me" remains consistent and notable for excellent songwriting form. The production is busy, dusty, and mysterious, with eclectic sensibilities. Miguel passionately croons "And every wall I built up/has come crashing down/don't the waves pull the sand/don't the moon pull the tide baby..." Miguel is incredibly sensual here.

Second single "Do You" opens with an inquiring Miguel: "Do you like drugs?" His questions continue ("...Have you ever felt alone/do you believe in love") prior to the chorus ("But do you like drugs...Yeah, well me too...do you like love?... Yeah well me too..." Slated in neo-soul idiom, rhythmic electric guitar carries the groove before pummeling drums and a fat bass line `hold it down.' Nothing short of exceptional.

On "Kaleidoscope Dream," Miguel and Salaam Remi work together establishing a production that is unapologetically retro in quality (Labi Shiffre is sampled). Miguel's vocals are exceptional, particularly the harmonized portions. Well written, the portion including lyrics "Yeah, body language like piano keys/allow me to provoke thee/like you sing a melody/every single stroke baby..." is nothing short of clever. Proceeding cut "The Thrill" is solid if eclipsed by the heaviest of hitters. More infused with Miguel's pop/rock influence, it effectively contrasts more the more soulful-leanings of "Do You" or "Adorn."

"How Many Drinks" adds some contemporary swag, perhaps most confirmed by its 808 thuds. Miguel's falsetto and assured vocal nuances continue to allure. The songwriting ditches chivalrous fare in favor of the sensual, but Miguel pulls it off incredibly well, particularly the spoken-word bridge. On the Alicia Keys co-written "Where's The Fun in Forever," the drums are indicative of the hip hop-soul idiom. Additionally a heavily compressed bass line buttresses providing a firm foundation. Miguel's vocals are incredibly overt, particularly on the memorable chorus: "Tomorrow's just a day away yea/tomorrow's just a day away...and tomorrow isn't promised/where's the fun in forever? Celebrate!"

"Arch & Point" couples pop and soul with prominent use of guitar and humongous clapping drums. Miguel keeps up his sensual persona: "Yeah baby, you know I don't suppose/oh that every good girl know, yeah/oh all that every bad girl know/baby arch your back and point your toes..." He's more overt on "P***y is Mine," perhaps Miguel's most salacious showing. That said, Miguel's ode is more subdued than one would expect for such a liberal title. Miguel is accompanied by electric guitar, the occasional synth, and conservative 808. Closing cut "Candles in the Sun" opts for a socially conscious direction, appropriate given its placement.

Overall, Miguel's Kaleidoscope Dream is easily one of the year's BEST albums. There are no misses and no notable flaws ultimately. Like Frank Ocean's exceptional channel ORANGE Miguel has more than exceeded expectations; This is a REAL R&B album.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Miguel's crowning achievement. October 2, 2012

By Adrian Cooper

Format:Audio CD

"Adorn" - Beautiful falsetto notes. Contemporary radio R&B classic. 5 stars.
"Don't Look Back" - Not fond of the chorus but other than that the song is solid. 3.75 stars.
"Use Me" - Great almost mechanical beat. Feels busy. 4.5 stars.
"Do You..." - Has a unique beat and speaks on special stuff a potential lover has in common with the other. Isn't really explicit other than the lyrics, "Do you like drugs" repeated. 5 stars.
"Kaleidoscope Dream" - Has a sample of Labi Siffre's "I Got The..." which Eminem also sampled for his song "My Name Is". It mentions the song name a lot yet the production is pretty dreamy which is intended. 4 stars.
"The Thrill" - Features soft guitar strums and pretty vocals. 4.25 stars.
"How Many Drinks?" - A neat song. A light feeling track that boasts nice production values. 4.25 stars.
"Where's The Fun In Forever?" - Decent. Alicia Keys co-wrote here. 4 stars.
"Arch & Point" - I think it's safe to say it's one of the most sexual tracks on the album. 4.25 stars.
"Puss* Is Mine" - Surprisingly, this one is acoustic. Just Miguel and a guitar. 4.25 stars.
"Candles In The Sun" - This track has a unique beat you might have to get used to. But if you think about it this is the first track that Miguel has made with some real substance. It wonders about the possibility of God and talks of life issues. 4.5 stars.

Let's win some Grammies this year, Mr. Miguel Pimentel!

47.5 ÷ 11 = 4.318

4.3 stars.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars No Sophmore Jinx For Miguel ! October 2, 2012

By Hip-Hop-Fan2786

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Miguel returns with his second album "Kaleidoscope Dream", and this album lives up to the hype. The R&B game has been watered down for some time now and some of our favorites like (Usher, Chris Brown, Etc.) have been going the Euro Pop, Dubstep ,Techno route and I understand that and no disrespect to them at all but none of that is on here and that's the good thing, Miguel didn't play follow the leader of the popular sound of today, he did the R&B that's been absent in the mainstream. Earlier in the year he released his free "Art Dealer Chick EP" series which included "Adorn", "Arch & Point", and "Candles In The Sun" and those songs still hold up good despite being released months ahead of time. He shows growth and proves he deserves to put in the category with the best R&B acts that's out with songs like "Don't Look Back", "Do You...",etc... you can tell he was inspired by the legendary Prince. Alicia Keys appears on "Where's the Fun in Forever?", making her the only guest appearance on here, and we get great production from " Salaam Remi, Jerry Wonda, The Phatboiz, Pop & Oak, J. Milla, and Miguel himself. People have been complaining about the state of R&B, well here's the album we all been waiting on. He kept it short at 11 tracks, and I'd rather hear a 11 track album without filler than a 18 track album with a lot of filler. I definitely recommend this. 4.5 Stars