As he continues to remix Lady Gaga and Britney Spears hits for the dancefloor, clubland mogul Ryan Raddon –aka Kaskade– releases his ninth album of original productions. The gainfully employed DJ and songwriter stirs potent hints of pop savvy into an already flourishing brew of kinetic flavors on Dynasty, preserving his infrastructure while christening some new elements.
Although the opening “Start Again” lacks the absolutism one would expect to launch such a loftily titled set, any fears of an overthrow are quickly assuaged with the masterfully serene “Don’t Stop Dancing.” As the beats tick steadily, Kaskade’s longtime vocal empress, Haley Gibby, lushly conveys the song’s message of inner spirit and perseverance. It’s one of five selections featuring Gibby, who sang on recent hits “I Remember” and “So Far Away.” The centerpiece is the beautifully phrased “Don’t Wait.” Swirls of synthesized strings complement cool stabs of acoustic guitar, as the singer reassuringly coaxes: “Don’t wait to take what’s there and make it what you want. All that you need, you have. It’s right there in your heart.” It’s this decade’s dance-music lullaby.
Elsewhere in the regime, the feisty “Fire in Your New Shoes” gets the party started with zaps of rock guitar and the magnetizing delivery of Dragonette, who entices her subject with, “Will I light a fire in your new shoes? Look out that your soles don’t burn to the floor.” This anthem has more spunk and individuality than the title track first single, as do the drop-in and -out structure of “Call Out” and the refined vibrance of “Human Reactor.”
All and all, Dynasty is a mellifluous collection of energetic ambulation, designed for equal-parts functioning in the ears, feet, and nervous system.
Check out Kaskade on MySpace Music to hear songs from Dynasty.