Chris Ingalls: Glasper seems perfectly happy emphasizing the “experiment” part of his band’s name — “Day to Day” shows the unique jazz pianist stretching out stylistically to incorporate ’70s and ’80s retro pop and soul that tips its hat to the Auto-Tuned shimmer of Daft Punk. Sometimes the best move when branching out is to keep it simple and uncomplicated. A great funk/dance number that’s a welcome addition to Glasper’s repertoire. [7/10]
Adriane Pontecorvo: There is so much right with this song, full of funk, soul, and a smattering disco strings on top of Robert Glasper’s ever-limber keys. Glasper is a master of incorporating classic sounds and old-school warmth into his very modern music, and this new track is a good sign for those same results from his upcoming release. With so much going for it, it’s a downright shame to hear Casey Benjamin’s smooth voice processed with such a dated use of Auto-Tune. While all the vocal effects on earlier single “Find You” work well with the heavier synths and distorted guitars, here, they sound a little too much like the late 2000s, an era not long enough ago to share the stage with the rest of the retro sounds made fresh again in “Day to Day”. [7/10]
Andrew Paschal: A snappy beat and a pleasant string arrangement propel the song forward for a little while, but the energy peters out about halfway through, and the song just keeps on going. When Robert Glasper sings “show me the way to your heart” over and over again, it sounds like an earnest and well-meaning proposal that is nonetheless likely to be rebuffed because, well, he’s nice and all, but maybe you’re just not feeling that spark (and maybe he’s not really either). [5/10]
William Sutton: The experimental jazz pianist returns with a smooth R&B number that is bursting with melody and rhythm and with its echoes of Michael Jackson it shows the potential for traditional R&B to return and flourish in the modern music industry. [8/10]
Scott Zuppardo: Auto-Tune is less inspirational by the day, this overproduced wonder is one for the back of the rack. It’s pure boredom whereas 5:24 could have been done in less than two. There some positive funk but it’s fattened up with a bit too much junk in the trunk. A club DJ’s dream as the easiest record to segue with in history but most definitely not even in my pantry of tea bags for the proverbial ‘cup of tea’. [3/10]
Landon MacDonald: A vivid, practical, pop song ideally listened to while on a stroll, preferably with a bounce in your step. The verse recalls Fancy Footwork Chromeo and the chorus sounds like a Random Access Memories B-side, including the fact that the hook is repeated about four too many times. The mini jam in between final choruses sounds like the jam Nile Rodgers and Fela Kuti’s keyboardist never got to have, but a bit less engaging than that sounds. [6/10]
Michael Pementel: It is tough to pin down the sound of this song in one word… and in this case that makes for a really great thing. With bits of rock, jazz, and R&B, Robert Glasper Experiment creates a beautiful track with the energy of soul and dance. It has the power to place you in a peaceful hypnotic trance; the perfect song to start, and end your night on. [8/10]
Paul Carr: Unfortunately for the Robert Flasher Experiment this sound like they have been effectively beaten to the punch by Daft Punk. The ingredients that made Daft Punk’s last album so interesting are all present and correct. A serviceable faux disco funk tune is elevated by a “Beat It” sounding bass line and jazzy keys. It contains an excellent disco funk breakdown that will get the feet moving. Nevertheless, the good work is spoilt by the vocals. To make up for the lack of power, they are coated in an electro vocoder effect that makes them sound horribly dated. It all ends up sounding like a Daft Punk B-side. [5/10]
SCORE: 6.13