Lucky Shiner is an emotional record, and its sounds are organic. Gold Panda says he wrote it after “touring, mixing, moving houses and splitting with a girlfriend.” A flurry of bells kicks off “Same Dream China,” one of the album’s standout tracks. And “You,” a versatile song that can both force a smile or a welling of tears, masterfully samples sped-up vocals. If you detect Asian influences, you’d be correct. Gold Panda is a lover of Japanese culture and studied at School of Oriental and Asian Studies (SOAS) in London.
Gold Panda’s Lucky Shiner has already nabbed itself a spot as one of my favorite records of the year. If given a chance, I bet it’ll find its way to some of your year end lists, too.
You can listen to “You” — and the rest of Lucky Shiner — below:
