Khan - Candy Girl

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  • You rarely get a chance to review electronic music that makes more sense in reference to post-punk and the German schlager tradition than soul and disco. "Candy Girl," the eighth outing from Berlin-based Khan and Vinny Villbass' I'm Single label, though, is just that type of single. A finely crafted pop track inspired by Khan's time in New York during the '90s when he was recording with names such as Kid Kongo, its arrangement brings together dry funk basslines, warm analog synths and hazy vocal harmonies. The raw sound of New York bands like Liquid Liquid and Inner Life, the very fundament on which LCD Soundsystem and their companions built a scene, are prominent. While "Candy Girl" is nicely produced and an enjoyable ride, the vocal track is where opinions may diverge. Khan's lyrical flamboyance comes through with cliché and overused lines like "you're my lollipop/ I wanna cream on top." It's the type of easy sexual references that barely belongs in an Aqua tune, let alone something you'd expect to find in modern avant-garde pop music. Yet it's the simple lyrics—in contrast with the sparse and raw production—that makes "Candy Girl" such an intriguing proposition. The dance floor-friendly remix comes from another Berliner with strong New York ties. DFA's DJ Kaos gives the "Candy Girl" an old school house makeover, utilizing a typical jack formula of basslines and drum machines laid over with snippets of Khan's vocals.
  • Tracklist
      A Candy Girl B Candy Girl (DJ Kaos Jack House Mix)
RA