Candy, the solo alter-ego of indie-pop singer-songwriter Calum Newton, could not have been more appropriately named; his music is a barrage of flashy, saccharine pop melodies that will leave you with a guaranteed sugar high. On Calum’s third solo effort, Azure (recorded, mixed and mastered by Calum alone), we see him at his catchiest and most vibrant.

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Though it may hardly seem like it listening to the uplifting music, Azure is an album about neglect, self-disappointment and social anxiety. “I don’t want to disappoint you anymore/ I’ve been getting drunk and sleeping on the floor/ Because I know that’s where I belong” sings Calum on Fremdshämen. But, as gloomy as the lyrics may actually be, they hardly ever hurt when heard amidst Calum’s infectious guitar riffs and basslines, and his joyful, lo-fi synths. The album turns introspection and insecurity into a wild, vigorous party.

On Wasting You, we hear Calum urging his love interest that she deserves better, horribly deprecating himself in the process. “I’m a parasite/ And I induce headaches/ When will you realize/ I’m a waste of time” he sings, surrounded by breezy background vocals and bright, plucky guitars. Shallow, on the other hand, is a song about being obsessed with Natalie Portman’s character in Garden State, who Callum lovingly calls a “manic pixie dream girl”.

9.5/10

Track List
1. Chapel Street
2. So Close
3. Wasting You
4. Comfortable
5. Reflections of U
6. Shallow
7. Fremdshämen
8. Good Time
9. Street Lights
10. Azure

Related Links
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Candy on BandCamp