| | | Ratings (90) |
Give your Rating |
| 3.0 good | ajcollins15 | February 15th 23 |
I was beyond excited for the new Kelela record to drop because of the innovation and exploration she achieved on her debut album in 2017. Although that record took me some time to digest and grasp, it did eventually become a long-standing favorite for me. On her sophomore album, I might be hoping the same thing occurs because it is a somewhat underwhelming record. The minimalism and heady atmosphere could be enchanting and all-encompassing for some, but for me most of the simplistic and minimalist drones/synthesizer patches add really nothing to the lush and angelic vocal delivery Kelela has always been known for. I find the album to be a bit hard to sit through, especially with the back end being swarmed by these very ambient and slow-paced tracks. The more danceable and breakbeat tracks are where this album does shine though and overall, it still is an enjoyable listen. Just feels a bit shallow for my tastes.
2 Bumps | Bump |
| 2.7 average | Erwann S. STAFF | February 14th 23 |
Vibes and stuff. Kelela's Raven is very pretty, that's for sure, but its Swiffer-clean production makes everything sound too soothing for their own sake - the extended, bloated length doesn't help. Offering an ~atmosphere~ is cool, but it shouldn't come at the expense of a sparse soundscape.
2 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.5 great | cjbizzlebizzle | April 22nd 23 |
This album just feels about two tracks too long. There are a handful of very strong tracks (Happy Ending, Missed Call, Contact, Enough for Love) and the album on the whole has a nice story-like flow with emotional highs and lows but the stretch between Fooley and Sorbet just feels a bit lacking and wandering. 100% worth checking out because there are a few songs that just have the most bangin' beats that seem to be a Kelela signature at this point.
Bump |
| 3.5 great | Gmudds | February 26th 23 |
Depending on your mood and attention span at any given time, this album may brings a lot of reward. While perhaps less innovative then her debut, Take Me Apart, the production is detailed, rich and heavy. It is also an understated, very ambient-y R&B album. Less memorable moments for me aside (Missed Call, Closure), from Contact, you're taken on a fine flow of an album from that point without any real misses.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | iGuter | February 24th 23 |
The return of Kelela is a softer, slower jam of an experience. The pulsating sounds of the beats and the ballads all effectively paint a feeling of loneliness in a crowded place. This is an album that deserves to be played loud at home alone for sure.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | Thibs | March 25th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | YRI | March 15th 23 |
| 3.5 great | bmelt | March 12th 23 |
| 2.5 average | Lalka | March 8th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | alamo | March 8th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | leon486 | March 6th 23 |
| 3.5 great | Ewgads | March 2nd 23 |
| 3.5 great | gilly | February 28th 23 |
| 3.5 great | Timmy | February 27th 23 |
| 3.5 great | Snuron | February 23rd 23 |
| 4.5 superb | hamid95 | February 16th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | SadLad | February 16th 23 |
| 2.5 average | fog CONTRIBUTOR | February 16th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | chwe | February 15th 23 |
| 5.0 classic | Pvzuzu | February 15th 23 |
| 3.0 good | Yotimi | February 15th 23 |
| 4.5 superb | sman789 | February 14th 23 |
| 2.5 average | M. Worden STAFF | February 14th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Khattak | February 14th 23 |
| 4.5 superb | Matty CONTRIBUTOR | February 13th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | NBA | February 12th 23 |
| 3.5 great | Handers | February 12th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | DANcore | February 11th 23 |
| 5.0 classic | luci | February 11th 23 |
| 4.5 superb | emmny | February 11th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Trash | February 11th 23 |
| 4.5 superb | jlsg | February 11th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | MvdW | February 10th 23 |
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