Relax (Crystal Waters song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Relax

| cover = Crystal_Waters-Relax.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Crystal Waters

| album = Storyteller

| released = 1995

| recorded =

| genre =

| studio =

| venue =

| length =

3:29 (LP version)
3:09 (Lorimer Vission radio mix)

| label = Mercury

| writer =

Crystal Waters
David Anthony

| producer = David Anthony

| prev_title = Ghetto Day/What I Need

| prev_year = 1994

| next_title = In de Ghetto '96

| next_year = 1996

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|af32LuQnipc|"Relax"}} }}

}}

"Relax" is a song by American singer-songwriter Crystal Waters from her second studio album, Storyteller (1994). It was released in 1995 as the fourth and last single from the album and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Dance Club Play chart. In the UK, it reached number 37. A black-and-white music video was also produced to promote the single, directed by German director Marcus Nispel.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard complimented "Relax" as a "breezy, pop-inflected houser",{{cite magazine|first= Larry |last= Flick |title= Dance Trax: Jackson's New Single Will 'Scream' To Be A Hit |magazine= Billboard |date= May 6, 1995 |page= 20 |accessdate= October 12, 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1995/BB-1995-05-06.pdf |author-link= Larry Flick}} and a "notable single-ready moment" from the Storyteller album. He also called it "lively" and "disco charged".{{cite magazine|first= Larry |last= Flick |title= Dance Trax: Crystal Waters Shows New Maturity On 'Storyteller' |magazine= Billboard |date= March 5, 1994 |page= 29 |accessdate= October 8, 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1994/BB-1994-03-05.pdf |author-link= Larry Flick}} M.R. Martinez from Cash Box felt tracks like "Relax" make the album "more than a dance record."{{cite magazine|first=M.R.|last=Martinez|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/90s/1994/CB-1994-06-11.pdf|title=Urban — Reviews|magazine=Cash Box|date=June 11, 1994|page=|accessdate=February 28, 2022}} James Masterton for Dotmusic deemed it as "slightly formulaic and disappointing".{{cite web|last=Masterton|first=James|title=Week Ending November 25th 1995|url=https://chart-watch.uk/archives/1995/week-ending-november-25th-1995|website=Chart Watch UK|date=November 19, 1995|accessdate=October 4, 2021|author-link=James Masterton}} Ross Jones from The Guardian said that Waters "delivers another of her berserkly positive electro-scat anthems, this one imploring you to kick back even when you're "mad at the world"."Jones, Ross (November 25, 1995). "Reviews: Singles". p. 33. The Guardian. Chuck Campbell from Knoxville News Sentinel described it as a "thick disco song".Campbell, Chuck (June 10, 1994). "David Byrne': Talking Head Repeats Himself". Knoxville News Sentinel. A reviewer from Music Week gave it three out of five, declaring it as "an uplifting and catchy track with those recognisable vocals that feels as though it might be equally at home on radio as in the clubs."{{cite magazine|first= |last= |title= Reviews: Singles |magazine= Music Week |date= November 4, 1995 |page= 32 |accessdate= May 15, 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-11-04.pdf}} Michael Wilson of Rolling Stone felt songs like "Relax" "are pleasant enough but don't push Waters beyond where she has been before."Wilson, Michael (August 25, 1994). "Recordings". Rolling Stone Issue 689. Jonathan Bernstein from Spin viewed it as a "potential successor" to Waters' signature singles.{{cite magazine|first=Jonathan|last=Bernstein|title=Spins|magazine=Spin|date=June 1994|page=99|accessdate=January 27, 2023|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fT3PkoU5ylcC}}

==Track listing and formats==

12-inch single, US

"Relax" (Jazz-N-Groove club mix) – 10:13
"Relax" (LP version) – 3:29
"Relax" (Lorimer Vission mix) – 6:10
"Relax" (Tony B!'s mix) – 7:09

CD single, Europe

"Relax" (Lorimer Vission radio edit) – 3:09
"Relax" (LP version) – 3:29
"Relax" (Lorimer Vission mix) – 6:10
"Relax" (Tin Tin Out Crystalized mix) – 6:51

CD maxi, Canada

"Relax" (LP version) – 3:29
"Relax" (Lorimer Vission radio mix) – 3:09
"Relax" (Jazz-N-Groove club mix) – 10:13
"Relax" (Lorimer Vission mix) – 6:10
"Relax" (Tony B's mix) – 7:09

Charts

class="wikitable sortable"

!Chart (1995)

!Peak
positions

Australia (ARIA) {{cite web|url=https://imgur.com/a/H6wRdmC | title=Crystal Waters ARIA chart history 2024|publisher=ARIA|via=Imgur.com|access-date=19 July 2024}} N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.

|align="center"| 133

Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-12-02.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100|magazine=Music & Media|date=December 2, 1995|access-date=October 15, 2020}}

|align="center"|78

{{single chart|Scotland|46|date=19951119|access-date=March 15, 2023}}

{{single chart|UKdance|9|date=19951119|access-date=March 15, 2023}}

{{single chart|Billboarddanceclubplay|1|artist=Crystal Waters|access-date=March 15, 2023}}

{{single chart|Billboarddancesales|10|artist=Crystal Waters|access-date=March 15, 2023}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" !scope="col"\|Region !scope="col"\|Date !scope="col"\|Format(s) !scope="col"\|Label(s) !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference}}
scope="row"\|United States \|1995 \|rowspan="2"\|{{hlist\|12-inch vinyl\|CD\|cassette}} \|rowspan="2"\|Mercury \|
scope="row"\|United Kingdom \|November 13, 1995 \|{{cite magazine\|title=New Releases: Singles\|magazine=Music Week\|page=31\|date=November 11, 1995}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United States

|1995

|rowspan="2"|{{hlist|12-inch vinyl|CD|cassette}}

|rowspan="2"|Mercury

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|November 13, 1995