We've known that Lucky Daye would be dropping a new album ever since he released the first single "Over" back in September of last year. Still, the nearly six months between then and now seem to have flown by with little hint as to what to expect from the singer-songwriter's sophomore effort. Singles "Candy Drip" and "NWA" fleshed things out a bit, but we really get the full picture and scope of Candydrip now that the project has been released.
The album appears to document the ins and outs of a tumultuous love affair, with the singer seeming to be addicted to the sugary highs it gives while also documenting the inevitable crash that was bound to happen. That vibe is kicked off by the gauzy infatuation of "God Body" (which features rapper Smino) and the Prince-nodding '80s pop vibe of "Feels Like" as he describes feelings that are definitely lust but also might come close to love.
That feeling gets a little complicated, though, as "NWA" darkens the vibe with its trap-ish sound and leads to into "Guess," which features a sample of Usher's "U Don't Have To Call" that hints at the trouble soon to come to this paradise with title track "Candy Drip." Of course, this all leads to the sour side of things by the time we make it to "Over" and subsequent songs "Deserve, the Chiiild-featuring "Compassion" and "Used To Be." These tracks further highlight the on-again, off-again situation, with lyrics describing the eventual fall with searing intensity. "'Cause I used to be yours / I used to be yours / Wish I would've known / That love would let us go," Daye sings on the pained chorus of "Used To Be."
Lucky doesn't leave us on a down note, though. After a brief relapse on "Fever" and "Cherry Forest," closing track "Ego," shows him finally coming to his senses as he sings, "Selfless / I learned to lovе myself less / And now I felt it / Sometimes, my heart gets helpless."
Candydrip is a heady rush into the highs and lows that a somewhat toxic love affair can bring. It shows us both the cotton candy haze of infatuation and tart and bitter feelings that can happen when it gets to be too much to handle. But what gives it all substance is Lucky himself (along with constant partner D'Mile along with other collaborators) bringing a grounded sense of love and longing as the album runs its course.
Lucky Daye Candydrip [Amazon][Apple Music][Tidal]
