At the top of 2021, Lucky Daye earned his first Grammy win (Best Progressive R&B Album for Table for Two) after earning four nominations for his debut album Painted. Lucky’s sophomore effort, Candydrip, deepens his commitment to building a singular soul-pop soundscape alongside D’Mile while expanding his musical and commercial horizons.

Through a winning combination of an irresistible Musiq Soulchild sample, instantly relatable lyrics, and a few TikTok trends, “Over,” the album’s lead single, arrived as the entry point for Candydrip. The sparkling guitar-based number shines because of its effortlessness; its accessibility is completely natural, and its sound sharpens Lucky’s penchant for atmospheric lovestruck instrumentation. In fact, a lot of Candydrip is a collection of varying interpretations of the “Over” template. Some work, some don’t. The album’s chief drawback, however, is its length. At just under an hour, Candydrip drifts through a carefully manicured sonic universe that sometimes veers into monotony.

The album’s intro establishes the hallmarks of Lucky and D’Mile’s sonic palette. Cascading strings, tantalizing guitar, and robust drums set the foundation for a (slightly headass) spoken word bit. Lucky situates himself in familiar thematic territory — the tug of war between lust and love and a relationship that’s as rewarding as it is contentious. “God Body” brings in a seductive horn section to soundtrack an enjoyable collaboration between Smino and Lucky. The first half of Candydrip strikes a smart yet difficult balance between bridging Lucky’s soul-pop with elements of lo-fi hip-hop and shifting away from the sleepily slow tempos that currently dominate mainstream R&B. “God Body” and album standouts '“Feels Like” and “Guess” aren’t quite danceable. Still, they certainly have more of a kick and sense of urgency than most of what mainstream R&B is currently offering. “It should feel like love whenever we touch / But we can't get stuck in the color of lust,” Lucky croons on “Feels Like.” That pointed distinction between love and lust in the context of the sustainability of a relationship is what gives Lucky’s music weight and nuance. And then, there’s that voice. Lucky’s crowning achievement with this record is how effortlessly he injects different flavors into his falsetto. On “Feels Like,” he’s playful, but on the title track, he’s pained and torn. Furthermore, Lucky isn’t overly reliant on his falsetto to make his songs vocally dynamic. Unlike some of his peers, he’s unafraid to park in the lower, earthier parts of his range.

Candydrip, for all of its gorgeous efforts at worldbuilding, does tend to blend together at times. The back half of the album, in particular, suffers from a relatively stagnant overall tempo that breeds boredom where it should have no place to thrive. Luckily, moments like the Blood Orange-esque last 45 seconds of “Fever” and the choir on “F****n’ Sound” help to alleviate those issues. Lucky’s last project, Table for Two, was a duets EP that featured results ranging from timeless records with Yebba and Tiana Major9 to a more forgettable Queen Naija-assisted joint. On Candydrip, Smino and Chiiild prove to be smart choices as they fit seamlessly into Lucky’s pocket. On the other hand, the chemistry imbalance on the Lil Durk-featuring “NWA” is too overwhelming to ignore. Durk has already proven to be a worthy addition to R&B songs in the past, so it’s more likely that “NWA” was just an ill fit for him.

Candydrip is the inevitable next step in Lucky’s calculated expansion into the forefront of music’s mainstream. Despite a few missteps, his unwavering dedication to the tradition of soul music and the irreplaceable magic of organic instrumentation and close-knit collaborators make Candydrip a success.

Key Tracks: “Feels Like” | “F****n’ Sound” | “Over” | “God Body” | “Guess”

Score: 70