Fluxblog
January 7th, 2015 5:17am

Candy-Coated Thoughts


D’Angelo and the Vanguard “Another Life”

Every time I listen to Black Messiah I think about how unlikely and amazing it is that a record that was fussed over for soooooo long could possibly feel so loose and spontaneous. This really comes out in “Another Life,” which unfolds with such a graceful ease that you hardly notice that’s a very well-built composition. Like a lot of Black Messiah, there’s something about the way D’Angelo doles out negative space that makes it feel as though the notes are hanging in the air. I strongly recommend listening to this record on good speakers – it sounds fine on headphones, but I think this music was definitely designed to be felt in a space. It’s the kind of music that has an affect on the air in the room.

The sound and feeling of the music is so pleasurable and evocative that it took me a while to even pay attention to the words he’s singing. Before I did that, my impression was that it was a spiritual song of some kind – maybe something about a love that transcends life and death. As it turns out, it’s mostly about desire, and D’Angelo imagining what it’d be like to be with someone he’s fallen for but hasn’t even kissed yet. It’s an overwhelming romantic song, and I don’t think I was wrong to sense a spiritual vibe here. There’s an implication of fate here – “in another life, I bet you were my girl” – but also an implication that this is a desire that’s more than physical or emotional. He makes it feel cosmic, or religious, or magical. That’s certainly the way he makes it sound when he’s shredding those high notes at the climax like he’s Prince on “The Beautiful Ones.”

Buy it from Amazon.

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