HomeStevie WonderCharacters
Characters
R&B / Soul · 1987 · 12 tracks

Characters

A dense, late-eighties digital soul landscape. Stevie Wonder trades his classic analog warmth for sharp FM synthesizers, gated drums, and urgent social commentary.

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Digital adaptation

Sharp FM synths and gated snare cracks slice through a neon-lit, late-eighties landscape of urgent digital soul.

Characters · vs · Stevie Wonder
Digital Clarity+2.9σ

This record swaps the warm analog hum of the past for a sharp digital clarity, anchoring the arrangements in the snapping, gated-reverb pulse of late-eighties FM synthesizers.

Tracklist · 12 Tracks
01
You Will Know
5:01
02
Dark ’n’ Lovely
4:39
03
In Your Corner
4:31
04
With Each Beat of My Heart
5:55
05
One of a Kind
5:11
06
Skeletons
5:25
07
Get It
4:33
08
Galaxy Paradise
3:51
09
Cryin’ Through the Night
5:48
10
Free
4:12
11
Come Let Me Make Your Love Come Down
5:22
12
My Eyes Don’t Cry
7:06
Moments Worth Waiting For
06SkeletonsThe aggressive, synthetic bassline and paranoid synth-funk textures on 'Skeletons' establish a tense, high-tech groove that drives the entire track.
Sits BesideSee all
In Square Circle
In Square Circle
Stevie Wonder
1985

Shares harmonies, funk, digital_clarity, vocal_layering (vocal style)

If I Only Knew
If I Only Knew
The Emotions
1985

Shares contemporary r&b, funk, digital_clarity, vocal_layering (signature)

Perfect Lover
Perfect Lover
Rose Royce
1989

Shares contemporary r&b, funk, digital_clarity, soul (signature)

Together Again
Together Again
The Temptations
1987

Shares contemporary r&b, funk, soul, soulful (signature)

Down to Business
Down to Business
The Spinners
1989

Shares gated reverb snare hits, contemporary r&b, funk, digital_clarity (detail)

Whatever It Takes
Whatever It Takes
Cheryl Lynn
1989

Shares funk, digital_clarity, focused_work, vocal_layering (subgenre)

Touch the World
Touch the World
Earth, Wind & Fire
1987

Shares funk, digital_clarity, vocal_layering, anxious (subgenre)

United
United
Commodores
1986

Shares contemporary r&b, funk, digital_clarity, soul (signature)

Bet Cha Say That to All the Girls
Bet Cha Say That to All the Girls
Sister Sledge
1983

Shares contemporary r&b, funk, digital_clarity, vocal_layering (signature)

So Good
So Good
The Whispers
1984

Shares contemporary r&b, funk, digital_clarity, soul (signature)

Reviews
Critic Consensus

While some reviewers warmly received the album's earnest social commentary and expressive vocal performances, others felt the dense, synth-heavy production lacked organic warmth. Consequently, many critics found the songwriting to be somewhat uneven, resulting in a record that divided opinions.

Rolling Stone3/ 5 stars
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The Rolling Stone Album Guide2/ 5 stars
MusicHound3/ 5 stars
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Los Angeles Times3/ 4 stars
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Robert ChristgauA-
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AllMusic2.5/ 5 stars
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The New York Times
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Chicago Tribune
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