Of Note: ‘Never Sleep Alone’ by Kaskade (feat. Tess Comrie)

Of Note: ‘Never Sleep Alone’ 

by Kaskade (feat. Tess Comrie)

Kaskade (Ryan Raddon) has been around a long time, and continues to be one of my favorite dance artists.  2004’s ‘In The Moment’, featuring the sublime ‘Steppin’ Out’, as well as ‘Everything’ and ‘Sweet Love’, remains an apex in dance history.  It brought a depth and musicality to the world of dance music unlike anything before it.   

Originally from Chicago, at age 19, Raddon spent time in Japan doing missionary work, before returning stateside to attend Brigham University where he graduated with a degree in communications.   He released his first single in 2001 and hit pay dirt in 2004 with the aforementioned ‘In The Moment’.  He’s been a consistent dance artist since that time, routinely placing singles on Billboard’s Dance Club Play Chart.

In April of 2015, he released the haunting 'Never Sleep Alone' featuring Tess Comrie.  He’s always had a knack for matching singer with song and 'Never Sleep Alone' is no exception.  It is, however, rather exceptional. 

I love the marriage between the lyrics and Comrie’s sleepy, distant vocals, as the gentle build beneath the chorus gives way to the crushing beat and acidic sounding synths.  It’s the disparity between the two sounds that brings to fruition the tension in the piece.  As the production dreamily ebbs and flows, the listener is carried away on a pill-induced, potentially nightmarish journey.