Dewdrops in the Garden


Dewdrops in the Garden is the third and final studio album by American dance music band Deee-Lite, released in August 1994 via Elektra Records. The album saw the group move away from the overtly political lyrical content of the previous album, shifting into themes of dance and intimacy with a heavier lean into psychedelic music.

Background

At the time of the release of Dewdrops in the Garden, Lady Kier had compared it to Infinity Within, saying:
The album drew inspiration from Lady Kier's travels to the Hopi ruins in the Painted Desert and pyramids in Yucatán and Dmitry's travels to the Grand Canyon and Joshua Tree. The inspiration was clear in Lady Kier's description of the track "Music Selector is the Soul Reflector":
Most of the work on Dewdrops in the Garden was done by Super DJ Dmitry and Lady Miss Kier joined by Kansan producer Ani Schempf. Towa Tei had left the band to do some work on Japanese pop star Nokko's album and his own debut solo album Future Listening!, and he was said to be back for the band's fourth album, which was never made. Even through his absence, Tei contributed various production to the tracks "Call Me", "Party Happening People", "DMT ", and the "Funky Chunky Bonus Beats" portion of "What is This Music?".
Shortly after the album's release, a companion album titled Dewdrops in the Remix containing four remixes of "Picnic in the Summertime," four mixes of "Bring Me Your Love," and six mixes of "Call Me" was released in Japan. "Bring Me Your Love" and "Call Me" became their last two number-one hits on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

Critical reception

Billboard magazine named the album "a solid collection that forgoes the political rhetoric of in favor of lighter, sing-along fare. Lady Kier continues to mature as a singer, molding her giddy, girlish delivery into seductive, world-wise purr. She oozes confidence over a slew of rhythms that swerves from familiar house and hip-hop territory into more trendy trance, rave, and break-beat areas. Radio and club programmers seeking a sequel to 'Groove Is in the Heart' will be disappointed, though open minds should find jams like funk-rooted 'Picnic in the Summertime', 'Apple Juice Kissing', and 'Say Ahhh...' equally pleasing."

Track listing

All tracks written by Deee-Lite.
  • The song "What is This Music?" ends at minute 0:29. After exactly four minutes of silence begins an untitled spoken word sample as a brief hidden track, beginning at 4:29 and ending at 4:39. After approximately two minutes of silence begins another hidden track—an instrumental song known as "Party Happening People ", previously only released on an obscure 12" vinyl test pressing of "Party Happening People"—beginning at 6:41 and ending at 10:03. After a further two minutes of silence, the final hidden track begins, "Bring Me Your Love " from the 12" vinyl release of "Bring Me Your Love", beginning at 12:03 and ending at 17:50, closing off both the track and the album.

Personnel

Deee-Lite

  • Kierin Kirby – vocals
  • Dmitry Brill – keyboards, bass, drum programming, guitar, piano
  • Towa Tei – drum programming, bass, keyboards
  • Ani Schempf – keyboards, drum programming, scratching

Additional Personnel

Production

  • Deee-Lite – arranger, mixing, producer
  • Armand Van Helden – digital editing
  • Fernando Aponte – mixing, assistant engineer
  • Robert Rives – mixing, assistant engineer
  • Brian Miller – assistant engineer
  • Jimmie Lee – assistant engineer
  • Steve Barkan – assistant engineer
  • Carlos Soul Slinger – assistant engineer
  • Rob Vaughan Merrick – assistant engineer
  • Heather "Aquasonic" Sommerfield – art direction
  • Kier Kirby – art direction, design
  • Alli Truch – artwork
  • Rex Ray – design
  • Joshua Jordan – photography
  • James Minchin III – additional photography
  • Tom Pitts – additional photography
  • Nancy Jeffries – executive producer
  • Rick Essig – mastering
  • Reese Williams – additional production