Everytime We Touch

With her full-length debut disc, Cascada has put out a delicious slice of ear candy. Everytime We Touch is a dance-friendly disc that found success in Europe and is likely to be greeted with open arms in the U.S. as well.

The vocals of songstress Cascada (born Natalie Horler) are the perfect complement to these heavily synthesized dance tracks. The album's title track already has hit number one on the domestic dance charts, and it opens the door for a parade of hits that could follow. "Everytime We Touch" appears in two versions on this album, opening with the high-energy club-ready version and closing with the sedated "Yanou's Candlelight Mix," which has a more ambient feel. The lyrics about instant attraction that evolves into an unshakable obsession work well in both musical frames, so which one sounds better is largely a matter of personal preference and the mood of the moment.

"How Do You Do!" also was a hit in Europe, and it continues Cascada's formula of catchy lyrics over an infectious dance groove. This time around, she is totally smitten with someone who has caught her eye, and she extols his virtues and the many ways in which the simple sight of him affects her.

The flipside of love gets acknowledged on "Can't Stop the Rain," a song about trying to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of a failed relationship. Nothing feels right and nothing seems to be working without him in her life. The song starts slowly and builds into a frenetic pace, and Cascada gets the chance to show her range on this one.

Kim Wilde scored a big hit with "Kids In America," and Cascada just might do the same. The remake stays fairly true to the original, and it is an exuberant celebration of youthfulness on the verge of breaking loose and breaking the rules. The song proves timeless and has the same kind of infectious recklessness to it that it had 25 years ago when Wilde released it.

Cascada proves that she can stay true to a remake or give it a fresh new feeling. On "Wouldn't It Be Good," which went to number four when Nik Kershaw recorded it in 1984, Cascada employs Kershaw's chorus word for word, but the verses have been changed. Although it's still a song about longing, Cascada has turned it into a song about unobtainable love instead of a tune about simple survival.

There's plenty to love about Everytime We Touch. This is music that doesn't take itself too seriously and asks the listener not to, either. And chances are, the listeners will be too busy moving their feet to think about anything else.