Just like he did with " Quickie," Miguel uses a line like, “How many drinks will it take you to leave with me?” that might sound blunt and aggressive from anyone else come across as smooth and even playful. Make no mistake, Kaleidoscope still treads some familiar R&B territory, albeit with a twist. Trippy, genre-bending and yet still soulful and distinctly R&B, if any one track embodies the musical ground Miguel is now dedicated to charting, it’s "Don’t Look Back." It’s an admirable effort but ultimately doesn’t connect as strongly as the equally adventurous but more personal and powerful "Don’t Look Back." Those up on their ‘60s rock will enjoy his shout out to The Zombies on the outro, but by no means is that knowledge a prerequisite. Potential baby-making aside, Kaleidoscope Dream gives even the celibate plenty to dig into, most notably on the political "Candles in the Sun." Created with a live sound that makes you feel like you’re in the studio watching a one-take recording, Candles is a patchwork of styles and famous quotes from everyone from Biggie to John Lennon. The mood is set even more on the following track "Use Me," which somehow manages to be simultaneously intense and soothing…now that I think about it, isn’t the best sex simultaneously intense and soothing? Isn’t "Arch & Point" or "Use Me" exactly the kind of music you want to throw on to convince that platonic friend to become a friend with benefits? You know what, let’s just move on before they have to slap a parental advisory sticker on this review.
Yep, that’s right, "Adorn" is what we like to call a deal closer, a description that could also easily fit the more rock-infused "The Thrill." There’s a certain hypnotic effect that all true baby makers have to contain and Miguel’s purposefully subtle voice on "The Thrill" accomplishes this effect. Just take the lead single "Adorn." While most R&B is being tailor-made for the club, the dripping and slowly burning "Adorn" is tailor-made for the come down after a night at the club (ideally when you’re not alone).