“Candygram” is heartfelt and nostalgic, another successful track from NYC-based act Valipala, recently featured with “Love of My Life“. Again pursuing soulful orchestral-laden arrangements, as they do throughout their excellent new EP Mango City (streaming in full below), “Candygram” begins minimally with a twinkling, minimalist melody that aptly – considering the track’s throwback thematic background – resembles the vintage Super Mario theme. Brass-forward spurts adorn the hook, alongside the always-excellent vocals of Lauren Scales.
The bridge/transition around 01:30 provides a sweeping, romantic sound that provides welcome variation between the more infectious, stomping moments. Full of eclectic range and gripping emotion, “Candygram” is one of many impressive showings on Valipala’s recently released Mango City EP.
Per Valipala keyboardist/songwriter Aviv Goldgeier:
“Candygram” is adapted from a story that our old singer, Chris, told me once. When he was 8 or 9, he received an anonymous candygram. He said he freaked out about it all day – ever the romantic, he had a crush at the time, and for all he knew, it was from her. But when he got home, his mom told him that she had sent him a candygram. At first, he was disappointed, but soon after realized that he was grateful to have a mom that loved him. This story was so adorable that I felt like it merited its own song, so here you go. To my knowledge, it’s the only song out there partially set in a Cambridge, MA third-grade classroom. On this track, we brought in percussionist Kweku Sumbry, who contributed the djembe part, which gets especially bonkers under the melodica solo.”
