Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Enjoyed this. Modern soul mixed with electronic beats, in sweet ways that flow and work well.
I've never listened to this album before, but I've heard this album a thousand times before. If you know what I mean, you know what I mean. I'm not saying she's not talented because she has a really nice voice...but I don't understand why this belongs on this list. This isn't required listening. It's somewhere between a 2 and a 3 for me, but I'm lowering it to a 2 because I just didn't appreciate it all that much.
Have not been a fan of solo black female artists on this list but found this album enjoyable enough that I listened a second time immediately after it finished.
This is the absolutely opposite of whatever my taste is. I hate it with fire.
Сара 2 Марко 4.5
Electro-R&B, alternative R&B, electronica.
Seductive coos over gossamer synths and tasteful beats with just a hint of glitch. All very stylish and sophisticated. Not something I would listen to very often, but perfect for driving fast at night with sunglasses on, or making cosmic love to a stranger in a neon lit club, with sunglasses on.
Thought this was SZA initially. Similar sound and hard to see how this is 'must hear befoe you die' material. The singles were alright but there's absolutely no need for this album to be as long as it is. Someone should have cut this at least in half
Just some of the most sumptuous seductive sounds to listen to when the sun goes down my friend.
I liked this more than I thought I would. This was another song I listened to with my 3M worktunes while mowing my suburban yard. Let me just say that this is probably not the intended listening context by the artist. The production really shines on this album. It has interesting enough backing tracks where things are happening that keep me interested even when many of the lyrics are about 20 something-aged people having normal relationships. The singing is also absolutely fine I don't remember cringing over any deliveries or anything. I don't know if I would ever put this kind of music on deliberately for myself or in other contexts but it exceeded my expectations especially since before I started I saw it sitting at a 2.97. I think that is underrated and I'm going 3
approved
Why are all of these alternative R&B albums so long?!? That being said, I'm liking this so far. I'd say I like this album, don't love it. I'd bet the same critic picked this and the Janelle Monae album. Not loving LMK and I guess that's the hit. It reminds me of one of the tracks from the Andor score. I like this album, there's a lot of it though. Turn to Dust is a highlight, great song. A good album.
Out of my comfort zone but I liked it. Dreamy sound and her wouce is angelic.
Well that was certainly something that played while I listened to it. What else can I say about it? It had a bit more to it than I was expecting? That's such a low bar because I was expecting very little based on the write-up and reviews. Someone absolutely nailed it by saying it's 'perfect for mid-range clothing retailers who want music to make them appear hip while blending smoothly into the background'. It's exactly that. It's almost perfectly designed as something to enter your ear but without registering at all in your actual brain. You just have this kind of vague sense of something happening, and a mild desire to go out and buy a pack of 3 basic tees on the 3-for-2 offer.
C’est pas mal. Pas mon genre mais c’est pas mal
meh
Interesting production and amazing vocals. The songwriting and overall style isn't really my thing though. Faves: Take Me Apart, Blue Light, Altadena
Beautiful and a very unique sound. I really liked Frontline. I think I listened to it three times.
Had never heard of this artist. Very pleasantly surprised.
whatever
Bien
A new one on me. Good album.
Nie zlé, ale asi sa k tomu už nevrátim.
I LOVE IT VERY MUCH SO FAR!! MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE
Pretty weak - I doubt I could pick it out from any number of other modern "R 'n' B" albums. Very disappointing.
empezó bien y cayó en lo mismo de siempre tan rapido que ni me di cuenta
Pretty forgettable. I didn’t hate it, but there was nothing here which made me want to listen again.
Boring, sterile, safe, vacuous. -1/5 starts
#notforme vaikka annoin rehdin mahdollisuuden niin ei tää kyllä herättänyt positiiviseen suuntaan oikeastaan mitään
vähän liian pitkä levy mut ihan MUKIIN menevää
Yks piste musiikista ja toinen tissinreunasta.
Semisti haastavaa kamaahan tää on. Ajoittain tulee niin tusinatavaraa, että melkein jo ykköspesä kutsuu, mut kyl tässä varsinkin loppupäässä ol ihan hauskoja ideoita ja tunnelmaa, että kyl aina kägöstä irtoo.
Aivan sietämätöntä paskaa. Tässä on ihan kaikki kerätty yhteen pakettiin mitä inhoan nykymusiikissa. Löysällä munalla tietokoneelle läpsytelty biitti ja hönkimislaulamista jota yksitoista kymmenestä Idols-kisailijasta yrittää matkia ja tekee sen ihan samankuuloiseksi. Kuuntelisin mieluummin vuoden putkeen Hangmans Beautiful Daughteria, kun viisi sekuntia tätä paskaa. Huonoin levy tässä haasteessa, ja vaikea kuvitella että menisi enää tästä huonommaksi. Hyi vittu!
Better than the average rating on here suggests I think, some cool and interesting songs
cool!
Boring
Cool sound in a genre I don't spend much time with. She has a beautiful voice and the electronic club beats give this a sound that makes it stand out from much r & b.
Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby Terence Trent D'Arby
I enjoyed the recording, however found nothing that made the music unique from other artists.
This is the type of music I have been listening to lately, so I enjoyed it. It's definitely not a revolutionary album, but it's the type of background music enjoyable during chill work sessions (or alternatively for pole dance sessions!).
The music here is really quiet and by that I don't mean downbeat or just some RnB for the bedroom (even though that works here as well). It's just an interesting, introspective mix by Kelela and her singing. The production is ok, not as great as some other reviews made it out to be. Once again we have an album that is solid and I just can't see myself rating this badly. But not highly either.
Idk why everyone is dogging this album, it bangs. This is the alternative R&B sound I've hunted for and craved since I first heard Triligy by The Weeknd. Beautiful voice, great beats and amazing production. Also this album felt like a breath of fresh air after having like a dozen UK, ancient rock and folk albums. Nothing wrong with those genres, but damn, this was such a refreshing change.
Quite enjoyed this one - A bit more mainstream version of something like FKA Twigs.
254/1089 frontline sets the tone SO well and then the rest of the album keeps up with it. i saved every single song, there was a section where each song was better than the last somehow. what an excellent album. my favourite new discovery from this project and makes me a bit annoyed at myself for not checking out kelela sooner since she’s been on my radar for a minute faves: Blue Light, Onanon, Truth Or Dare, Jupiter, LMK 97/100
Arr and bee
Favorite Song: none
Nothing profound, I could hear this at H&M
Not my thing.
This album was excellent!
I wish I liked this more! Being a lover of R&B and soul, I had high hopes. Unfortunately, it felt a little soulless and boring. Kelela has the perfect voice for this genre, I loved how airy her vocals were. I found myself wishing that we had more variance in energy throughout the songs and the album. The tracks stayed lowkey and chill, which is not my personal taste.
Been Waiting For Today 1001 Albums Generator 255 (3/25/2026) Kelela is an artist who really made waves in my online space with her 2023 album Raven and her 2025 live reimagining of her music in a jazz context, In the Blue Light. I have never listened to her, and I was surprised to see her debut album make an appearance here. Unfortunately, I found Take Me Apart to be a largely forgettable affair. I really do love some alternative RnB, but there's something about this album that is unremarkable, for the most part. It starts and ends really strong, but the run in the middle doesn't do anything for me. I also think that a lot of the trap-influenced production comes off as very of-its-time and outdated at this point. Kelela's voice is pretty good, but the album is just too long. Mixed feelings on this one. 3/5. Favs: Waitin Take Me Apart Onanon Least Fav: Turn To Dust
The faster songs are better than the slower ones.
OK.
I think her previous album was better ngl
Nope, I wasn’t interested in this one. A talented singer, for sure, but this vocal gymnastics RnB is absolutely not a genre I can enjoy.
This absolutely fine, just not for me. I couldn’t really care less about this album tbh.
Honestly a lot better than I thought from the description It’s a really interesting mix of Pop, R&B, and Electronic music. Her voice is actually really good and probably the best thing about the album. Lyrics feel very personal while also not being too crazy artsy. I do like how the bass is definitely less grindy than a lot of other 21st century R&B songs, makes it easier to listen to I do think there’s a bit of a lack of variety, and nothing completely stood out to me on this one. Might have also been a hair too long with that in mind. Even though it’s better than the sum of its parts I’m still not a huge fan of any of the genres in the soup so I don’t think I’ll ever be crazy about this one. It’s a solid 7/10, which is a lot better than I thought going in, but it didn’t quite capture my heart
oh shit oh shit oh shit 1) this sounds great with headphones. the bass, the reverb effects, the audio manipulation is really well considered 2) pretty voice 3) yeah i think its pretty good, great to have an actual modern sounds that's not just abstract and experimental
Generic female R&B. Didn't do a thing for me.
Not even a song in right now and I just know that this type of music is not for me. It sounds good I guess, but it's just boring overall. The music didn't do anything for me, but I can't say that I hate it.
This album is not for me... I have never really cared for R&B, it is just too slow and lacks anything that makes me excited about music. This album came with a ton of hype from critics, but I think it was more praised for the idea of what it was supposed to be and the fact that it was released on Warp Records than for the actual music. I get the cool concept and the appeal of being on Warp, but when you strip all that away, the album is mostly just boring. I was completely zoned out and ready for this to end around track 7. Some of the production had its moments, but it wasn’t as innovative or futuristic as it aimed to be. Plus, her vocals didn’t do it for me. There is some strange effect on her voice that I don't particularly care for. The tracks with strong production would have been better without her, and honestly, the whole album might’ve been better without her vocals altogether. Not a bad album, and I understand why someone would like this, but this did nothing for me. Did I need to hear this before I die? No, but I'm sure some people might
I gave it 2 full listens to make sure... Kept feeling like it was on the brink of being great, but never really connected.
Not really my thing but alright Song I like: Waitin
I have never heard of this before. I know absolutely nothing about it beyond that it's an R&B album. The cover is... interesting. As for the actual music, it's mostly standard R&B with a modern electronic bent. Lyrics are pretty standard for the genre, and the vocals are just OK. They're technically impressive, but don't feel as soulful as the classic greats. A lot of the sound of this record is the sound of generic late-2010s Top 40 music. It isn't bad, but nothing here is particularly great. It sounds exactly like you'd think it would sound based on the cover and release date, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, that sound is not a particularly memorable one, and this is mostly a collection of standard pop/R&B songs that lack great songwriting. Granted, it's not as bad as the similarly rated Back to Basics, so there's that.
Meh. Good production but not interested
This felt like a single long song, which I somehow forgot five minutes after listening.
She has a nice voice, but the album was uninspiring and forgettable
Listening session: march 15th, while going for a walk Listened to before: no Thoughts: look I agree with everyone that the production is great and she’s not a bad singer, but nevertheless this didn’t do much for me Favourite track: Better
Not too bad. Usually not my thing, but it was okay
My loss for not listening to this in 2017
Some good listening Fave track: LMK
The selection of modern inclusions is fascinating. Goo pick as far as I’m concerned. 3.5/5
modern R&B is not my thing, nothing sttod out for me
This sure is a late 2010s R&B record that was critically acclaimed. It sounds exactly like every other late 2010s R&B record that was critically acclaimed.
Neither the R&B side, nor the electronic side of this album really brings anything special to the table. On top of that, I feel like I've been listening to the same song for 53 minutes. Overall, it's painfully generic, boring, and utterly forgettable. It sounds like the kind of thing I should be hearing in a hip corporate coffee shop, not on a list of 1001 albums to hear before I die
not my cup of tea
empezó muy bien, pero ahí se quedo. me pareció un poco insufrible terminarlo.
Inoffensive which is perhaps the best thing I can say about this album, and the worst.
This is not my taste and I thought I would hate it, but it wasn't too bad, some decent songs on it, runs a little long.
6/10
meh
Should’ve spent more time with this when it came out. Really great future rnb. Sounds like an Aaliyah album from 2030
Boring pop that sounds like it came straight out of the 90s. I had no idea that 30 years later, there would still be a demand for it. 2/5
It was fine, not bad gym music.
Couldn't finish it, didn't hold much interest for me.
Well produced, ialthough the sub bass grates after a while. Somewhere between slow pop and rap. I found it dull,
Meh
I really enjoyed this album from an artist I had never heard of before today. I will definitely be listening to more of her work in the future.
This is why the author should wait a minimum of 10 years before including albums. FKA twigs was more influential and making far better music in this space
It’s rare that I criticize an album for this, but I think the sound here is too minimal. When your backing track is just a basic synth loop and generic rhythm, you need more than what’s here to stick out. Her voice, the melodies, and the atmosphere are all very competent, but none of it wows you.
One of those albums that rewards multiple listens. I hear something new each time. But it is pretty subtle so you need to listen in. Some great albums work because they have a consistent mood or tone throughout. Take a breath, stick it on repeat.
Started off a little ho-hum but then the sound expanded and it turned into an interesting listen. Not a huge R&B fan but I can tell when an album is trying things and reaching and I applaud that.
Alright, this is pretty good. I wasn’t expecting much but the beats are good and so is her voice. It’s better than The Black Album.
Great modern R+B
I really wanted to like this, but some of it is too fast and some is too slow. She does have a lovely voice.
Better than I anticipated.
2/27/26. It's a shame how little of this genre I listen to, but was surprised I've never heard of this one since it's newer. Cool take on R&B with a variety of style throughout, and Kelela is a great singer. Will keep an eye on her work.
This might be my least favourite genre of music. There is absolutely nothing to grab on to. Just sounds like random sounds and beats with floating vocals. The production is crystal clear and she has a nice voice, but the music is horrible
I'm really not a fan 😬 didn't finish
4/10
Kelela is an artist I have always admired and adored especially due to her continuously refreshing blend of R&B and some of the silkiest Electronic production in music currently. For her debut album I feel she really starts to hone in on what makes her music so special and addicting to a much more compelling degree. While not always the most consistently engaging album, I will say on a technical level this project is still extremely impressive. This album jumps around a lot in quality with some tracks really hitting a whole lot harder than others, with my main highlights being Frontline, Jupiter, and Better. It is a debut album at the end of the day so the messiness is a bit expected but all in all this is extremely impressive right out of the gate. Kelela obviously has an ear for some killer production and I think even after this album she is definitely someone more people should have their eyes on because she can surely captivate if given a place to.
songs sound the same, pretty generic, nothing atrocious, but nothing remarkable
Take me to church.
It’s a fine album. These kinda soft jazzy albums usually have songs that all sound the same but it was enjoyable.
Great production and very soulful
New to me, pretty much missed this whole contemporary R&B era. Relatively easy to listen to, but not particularly gripping. Moody but not in a way that I can identify with. As I listen I am finding it a half formed. Neither telling me a compelling story nor engaging me musically. The middle of the album had some highlights with a stronger beat and interplay between the singing and music that I found solid. First few songs bored me and last couple dragged. Did not feel essential, don't expert to revisit or frankly remember a few weeks from now. 2 stars in the context of the list.
Maukasta RnB:tä, tosi elektronista! Siistit instrut, tosi maalaavat ja chillit. Rentoja kappaleita. Parhaat: Jupiter, Onanon, Frontline
This is a nice album. I'm not sure it's an all-time must hear, but definitely good music and melody. If anything, now I've heard of this artist, so I'm thankful for that.
Let me paint you the picture: You're all cozy in bed doin' the steamy sexytime, and this album starts playing on your smart speaker. The beats are there to move with, the vocals have that perfect sultry tone for whispering sweet nothings. It's like a smooth jazz track that just.. doesn't grab me by the collar and demand my full attention. It also just doesn’t hit that sweet spot of being both sexy and something I’d listen to outside the bedroom, you know? Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Frontline - Take Me Apart - LMK
2.5/5
There's nothing groundbreaking about it in my opinion (it reminds me of smooth R&B from the 90s and early 00s). Nice singing but the songs started to sound the same after the first few tracks.
Bland, bland, bland ! I was half way through track 3 before I realised it was playing. Not a bad voice but all very vanilla.
Album 57 Top 3 favorites off the album: LMK, Jupiter, Waitin It was decent. Chill vibes, nice voice, but some tracks in the middle blurred into one long track. I know, I know, I say that a lot because I listen at work and my reflections after aren't always fresh. LMK was different, Truth or Dare, too. Another house party-type listen for sure.
What's worse, a bad album or a boring one? Alright background vibes, just don't try to listen or you'll put yourself to sleep
Ain't gonna lie, the last several albums have tested my will to continue this challenge. This album is no exception. Slick producer driven modern R&B is just not my thing.
Just very boring.
Mostly indifferent to this. It's pleasant enough, but background at best.
ake Me Apart is an album that perfectly encapsulates everything I struggle with in a lot of modern music. It is immaculately produced, hyper-controlled, and emotionally distant, sounding less like someone expressing themselves and more like a mood board brought to life by committee. Every track feels polished to within an inch of its life, yet somehow hollow, as if all the human friction has been carefully sanded away. The songs drift by in a uniform haze of minimal beats, breathy vocals, and restrained tension that never actually goes anywhere. There is a constant sense of waiting for something to happen, a shift, a hook, an emotional release, but it rarely arrives. Instead, the album circles the same muted atmosphere over and over, mistaking restraint for depth and subtlety for substance. What should feel intimate just feels anaesthetised, like vulnerability presented behind glass. By the time it ends, Take Me Apart leaves me feeling nothing except mild irritation. It demands focus while giving very little in return, offering vibes instead of songs and cool detachment instead of emotional risk. I understand why it appeals to people, and I can see the craft involved, but as a listening experience it is joyless and inert to me.
Would give a 4.5 if possible. The idea of having the songs in order about the experiences of abuse was something I thought worked really well for what she was trying to relay. Not all the songs were my speed, but she did a great job with this album.
This was a solid album. Good easy listen. It had early 2010’s black rock/soul vibes
You know, it's always interesting to see how I'll feel about the "modern" picks of this list. Some of them are legendary albums that have gone down as some of the best albums of the 2010s. Most of them aren't even close to being that. A lot of the 2010s picks just kind of baffle me, but I'm always intrigued when I get a 2010s album because I just want to know if the album is any good. Well, as it turns out, Kelela's 2017 album Take Me Apart is pretty good! This is my final album of 2017 for the project. Pretty neat that I got that immediately after my final album of 2015, isn't it? I don't think I could call Take Me Apart the best 2017 album on the list, but it's probably in the upper half I'll give it that. This thing is pretty cool. I think Kelela's voice is very nice. It's the exact kind of thing that I want from an album like this. The production is also very good. It's just commercial enough to have that broad appeal but also unique enough to give the album worth. It's got this sorta spacey vibe to it at times that appeals to me quite a bit. The lyrical matter is the kind of thing that you'd expect from a modern r&b album. It's sensual and emotional in a way that doesn't feel vapid or soulless. I've seen a lot of negative reviews on this specific website, and all that tells me is that y'all are boomer-brained. You guys are calling this boring slop that exemplifies the worst traits of modern music, and I think all of you are dumb for saying that, at least for this particular album. How can you hate an album with "LMK" on it? That song is fire. So, yeah, this album is pretty neat. Not the best album of 2017, but I'm not upset about this inclusion at all on account of the album being good. 4/5.
It was enjoyable, but a bit too long for me. I really enjoyed the beginning, but had a hard time staying invested all the way through.
A lovely lovely listen. I'm really not concentrated enough to value this record, that I feel is great. So I'll give it another 3 and try to come back to it later... Yeh, it's just what it is.
Didn’t know the artist. Nothing too exciting or interesting here.
This didn’t grab me that much but i also think it shouldnt be penalised for how boring my day is. Keen to listen to this again perhaps on a sunny afternoon with a bevy and nary a care in the world but let’s see if i remember should that situation occur.
Sorry to Kelela but this album just didn’t hold my attention. Maybe because it didn’t lean all the way into the slow jam of it all?
Going into this with high hopes because of how much I love LMK (hugely underrated song) but I’ve never listened to the rest of this album. I fear it veers a little too R&B for me but those are some lush soundscapes, I just wish they went a bit harder
I really like Kelela. When this album came out it was new and unique and felt like the next big thing in the neo soul boom that was happening. It didn’t really turn out that way and is a bit dated by that fact but still quite beautiful.
If qualudes were an album
Pleasant background sounds, like listening to a babbling brook. (Brief detour while I consider whether Turn to Dust really echoes Taylor Swift's Style [resident Swiftie disagrees]).
petit r&b tranquille, belle voix et tout mais un peu répétitif en vrai
Pas mon genre de musique pref
Musique de gwer, on se fait chier
One of the better recent R&B albums I've listened to, this was well done.
She has a soothing voice and I enjoyed listening to this album.
I complained about my Valentine's Day gift last year, but I would give my right nut to have that one over this disaster. What is the point of an album that is just incoherent lyrics over random beats in the background? Why does almost every track sounds the same,? Why blend this boring version of R & B, and Electronica music? Why is a vast majority of music in the 2010s absolutely terrible? These are questions that need answers. Favorite Track: "Onanon".
boring
I like the vibes, but it seems to be pretty much purely vibes. Nothing stands out.
Pulled one way, then the other. Agree with korirok, Frontline at full blast is a great opener. Enough is another standout, which to me shares some DNA with Rihanna's Kiss it Better, and I mean that as a good thing. On the other hand, teeing them both up (criminally unfair to compare Kelela's first album but I'm going to anyway) the whole of Anti is similarly massive on production but every song is beautifully focused, and I'm with wiz kid, the electronics and production on Take Me Apart is a lot, which isn't necessarily a problem, it's absolutely what she's going for with conviction, I'm just finding it hard to grab onto. Curious to check out her later stuff, see where she takes it.
This didn't make much of an impression as I was listening through. It's not bad music, but just so generic and boring honestly. I can imagine this playing in a clothing store in the mall, like Garage or Forever 21, where no one is paying that much attention to the music. I feel like there are so many other R&B albums that are more interesting and deserving of a spot on this list.
Wow! Frontline is incredible! Probably helps to play this album on big speakers imo. The rest of the album was also quite enjoyable but I found it didn’t hold up to the initial track. The production on this is very impressive overall.
Not fully sure how I feel about this. But enjoyable and kinda boring
Was fine, idk, felt like she was trying to do too much and in trying to do too much did nothing at all, knaw what I'm sayinn? Like the production was polished as hell, the vocals polished too. But I think this falls into this genre of modern day music, where the skill is obviously there, like the people behind this album know what they're doing. But at the same time, that gets in the way of the artistry, and just becomes this jumbled mess of technical bullshit. I find a lot of modern white funk musicians fall into this trap lol. But so does Kelela, I just... IDGAF lol, lost be by like the 2nd or 3rd song, and I tried to re-listen to give it a 2nd chance, and I just got sick of it again... Again its not BAD, its just not for me... less is more, and this was definitely just.. a lot. 5/10
So is this what R&B can be? I like the deep, atmospheric soundscapes. But the R&B cliches are ever present. I don't care about your boyfriend problems.
It's nice, the music is sexy, her voice is great. It just feels too robotic, too impersonal, more like elevator music than heartfelt music.
Bit of a nothing burger this one
It's a really relaxing listen.
I don't even know what to write about this album—I'm so shocked that such shallow mainstream pop made it onto the list. Music like this is usually hyped up for a few weeks and then, after a year at most, no one remembers it anymore. I gave up after four songs because it's just annoying, but apparently there's at least one music journalist who voluntarily subjected himself to it a second time... Anyway, tomorrow there's bound to be another album worth listening to.
I liked seeing a newer album & artist (2017) and was completely unfamiliar with Kelela. Not bad music just not my style. Smooth modern R&B's not my exact jam but like some of it. This fell a little flat for me and didn't have the draw of Frank Ocean or Childish Gambino songs.
I think this one is fine. Not my type of music but I didn't dislike it. 3 stars.
"Take Me Apart" is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Kelela. Electro-R&B, alternative R&B and electronica are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was noted for its futuristic sound and its incorporation of various styles. A number of producers were used including Jam City, Arca, Bob Bok, Kingdom, Dubbed Dutch, Al Shux and Ariel Rechtshaid. The album had wide-spread critical acclaim cited for its innovative production, sharp songwriting and vocal delivery and, commercially, it reached #128 US Billboard 200 and #51 in the UK. A dreamy synth, swirling and echoing, open the album in "Frontline." Emotional vocals as Kelela is leaving her partner who's holding her back. Electronic beats and layered beats with an R&B vibe. Kelela takes her vocals in more soulful direction in "Take Me Apart" as she is dealing with a breakup. More echoing synths with quick beats. A song that builds and has a soft-loud-soft dynamic that I'm mostly always a fan. The first single released "LMK" starts with deep-sounding synth keys and a handclap beat. Background shimmering sounds. Layered vocals. A good example of the R&B electronica. "Blue Light" begins with a high-pitched vocal intro. Kelela singing softer. Slow echoing beats and experimental synth noises. A vocoder employed with more overlayed vocals. Here, she's throwing caution to the wind and going into a risky relationship. This album combines smooth R&B with airy, dreamy and experimental synths and electronic beats. Electro-R&B is a close description but there's more going on that makes it hard to exactly pinpoint. Comparisons have been made to Björk in the originality and I agree with that. Kelela's lyrics are mostly about struggles and hardships in relationships but also having the confidence to move on. This is a very solid album and I give it a solid recommendation.
No private session used for Spotify. The album cover gives me...feelings; however the album gave me other feelings such as "why?". The music blends electronic and R&B, neither genre I much care for and this mashup just makes things worse.
Great album! Synthesizers throughout and mix.
A bit of a random inclusion. Not very interesting, kinda boring, actually. I'm not very fond of R&B's anti-songwriting, where the vocal acrobatics take precedent over the melody, but this isn't one of the genre's biggest offender. The UK-style production is somewhat cool, I guess, but not really original, nowadays even less so. Was this the first example of a female R&B record with this type of production? I don't think so. Otherwise it would be more talked about in music circles. Key tracks: Onanon
Fairly forgettable
Not really my usual type of music, but it was pretty chill and enjoyable to listen to. And it's pretty sexy, which I definitely don't disapprove of.
Enjoyed more than I thought I would
never heard of this woman, is that ethiopian script? (just looked it up, i guess the language is Amharic. oops) chill synth pads. its ok.
Her voice is excellent, the beats are imaginative and full. I really dig it.
I'm not sure what to do with this particular album. Honestly, I don't really get current music. At some point, music gets so derivative that it's devoid of any attempt at uniqueness... formula as substance. This record isn't meant to be any giant artistic statement, it's the equivalent of urban aural wallpaper. Does that mean it's worthless? No, it certainly does not, but that said, it can be well produced, deftly performed, and yet not be worthy of a relisten, much less some ridiculous claim that it's one of 1001 albums that you MUST listen to before you die. I think this is probably true of a lot of the recent additions to the 1001, the author just wants to refresh the volume so he can get paid.
02/02/2026 This was a struggle to rate it any higher than a 1. It was a difficult listen. Spotify listeners: 586.5k
Apple Music suggested Kelis to follow.
2/5 not hugely for me!
"contemporary R&B"... 'nuff said.
Fav tracks: enough, truth or dare, Altadena Ethereal, experimental, ahead of its time. The lyrics were peaceful and all knowing, yet not in an egotistical way. Harmonies and production were gorgeous
I liked a lot of the music (some of it reminded me of 1975) but lyrics and singing were v meh
01) Frontline - 7,0 02) Waitin - 6,5 03) Take Me Apart - 6,5 04) Enough - 6,0 05) Jupiter - 6,0 06) Better - 6,5 07) LMK - 7,0 08) Truth or Dare - 6,5 09) S.O.S. - 6,0 10) Blue Light - 6,0 11) Onanon - 7,0 12) Turn to Dust - 6,0 13) Bluff - 7,0 14) Altadena - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,46 (65/100) Current ranking: 568/807
It's all the same. She is an ok singer and the arrangements were alright ...just not for me. ⭐
Good vocals but I'm bored. A little variety would be appreciated.
Not bad! First song from the modernish era and I didn’t really know it! I liked it but had to skip around
I liked it
Competent Pop, R&B, and Soul, but I could stand a bit fewer F$%& in the lyrics, more hooks. Love the futurism of the synths included, but the songs seeming to actively avoid strong hooks was a bit annoying.
this is so boring. also not very interesting for 2017.
Nothing too memorable but not bad at all
I actually loved this album definitely going to check out some of her other stuff
dnf
This album has some nicely textured electronica, but the vocal delivery really grates with me (modern R&B style). I'm not sure what distinguishes the album enough to make it into the list.
I'm so glad to finally be given an album that wouldn't necessarily be viewed as part of the traditional Canon of popular music. And gosh, what an album this is. Kelela's voice is smooth and demanding throughout this album, and it pairs with the sometimes avant-garde production perfectly. While the album does go on a little bit too long for my taste, it's an incredibly enjoyable experience and an album that I probably wouldn't have heard had it not been for this list.
Pretty sure I did not need to listen to this, was so excited to see something not from the 60's and 70's, and.. no, this wasn't for me.
I'd never heasrd of Kelela before today, but I'm digging this album. Favorite song: Turn to Dust
I found myself wishing I was listening to A Hundred Drums instead. Good music but not my favorite genre of electronic I think.
Very excited to get this as R&B is probably my biggest genre blindspot in music as a whole. I really enjoy the more electronic backing tracks which almost makes this sound like pop album, especially on "Onanon" which might be my favorite track.
surprisingly momewona. idk arianas vibebi rato vigrdzeni lmaoo
Not my cuppa tea
Good voice but its no my thang
RnB, Rap , 2017 -> 2
Interesting album, lush. Would need more listens from me to appreciate it more. Mid 2s.
This was ok. Maybe this was groundbreaking when it came out, but others have done the same thing. It's very soft, sexy R&B over downtempo electronica. It's bedroom techno. You could bump uglies to this. My Rating: 3/5
Nice rnb
This was ok, but it didn’t blow me away
I know it's at least a 4 but will re-listen again
that was quite boring
Temp
Generic early 00's R&B. There were no standout songs. Her voice was nice, but nothing that seemed different from a lot of what was being pumped out at that time.
didnt care too much
Pretty good! I might come back to this one.
Holy shit is every song on this turd of an album exactly the same? I genuinely could not tell the difference between any of them except for 'Enough', which made me want to rip out my eardrums. Why is this on here? I can think of so many better picks of modern R&B than this. A 2 was probably the fair choice on the thing but you made me listen to an hour of the same song and the fact I couldn't finish this so you get a 1.
I literally sighed when I saw this was another addition from a later edition. To be honest, I felt bad doing that. After such a long hiatus from this project I felt that I should probably have a more positive attitude towards this considering this whole exercise is about discovering new music and broadening my horizons. Also, I thought I would look like a massive dickhead if I ended up enjoying this. I didn't.
Beautiful voice. Just not for me. Not ‘hooky’ enough, maybe.
How is this on the list
Exactly what I expected it to sound like. Sounds like all the others to me.
Nice but not much grabbed me
Dope
1001 albums is too many albums
This was nice to listen to but I definitely lost track of what I was listening to and tuned out more and more as it went on. Nothing too special, no real stand out songs and it was a bit samey for me.
After reading some reviews, I don't think I have anything novel to add to this conversation so I'll just get my thoughts down here rapid fire style, so I can refer back to this later. Common for music I enjoy, this album has a lot going on beneath the surface, so if you're finding the sound a little "samey" or whatever, challenge yourself to dig a little deeper. I agree with a lot of users that 2017 is very recent to be considered for a list that is supposed to have some sort of magnitude to it, but at the same time the list is already missing a lot of women artists and especially women of color. This IS an impressive record but is so far from what this list itself has taught its audience to expect that they think they're supposed to hate it. 2010s is probably one of my least favorite eras for music, because a lot of what was popular last decade is just the norm now. Record execs found what sells well and refined it, so this album already feels dated. Reading what others wrote about this album in 2017 (that it sounded futuristic) is almost laughable today in 2026. Is this a well made record? Absolutely, how could you even argue against that? Is it an album that I would put on just to listen to? Time will tell, I suppose.
Me fui a fijar el año porque realmente no notaba nada especial en el álbum. Pensé era rupturista para la época, o algo. Pero es de 2017. La verdad, nada que resalte. No es malo, pero no le noto nada de especial. Y encima no es un género que me atrape. 4/10
Kelela knew very well how to combining R&B and electronic and don't make it sound messy. This a masterpiece!
I was listening to this in my car and I was so embarrassed I had to roll up my windows. Felt like I was shopping in a Zara.
Great sounding production, and a cool blend of electro and R&B with a nice voice, but there were no hooks--just vibes.
What could've been..
Nice voice. Electronica beats. The music current always land on its feet but is still nice.
Bland.
This album benefits from patience, focus, and volume. When I initially played it, it was quieter and in the background, and was a little boring. But then I went for a walk with it and played it loud and didn’t distract myself. It was a much better experience, and really let the mood and lush production of this album sink in. I probably wouldn’t call this a must-listen, if I’m being honest, but it definitely gives back what you’re willing to put into it.
Nice background music, not my favourite. Bit samey but some catchy songs
Coffee house music, relaxed and inoffensive
Correcto
Pretty generic, dull, modern R&B. I don't know why it's on the list.
I think some of you don’t like this album because you are not sexy and fun and no one invites you to go out and be sexy and fun with them. that’s ok! just remember it’s a you problem. that being said this did get a wee repetitive
Great album
I came across her release 'Raven' at some point soon after it came out and really enjoyed it. Her connection to Tosin Abasi, both musically and personally, was a surprise! Interesting and enjoyable.
мені не сподобалася, всі пісні схожі одна на одну, прослухала і навіть згадати не можу якусь хоча б одну пісню, яка запам'яталася
It's fine. Less would have been more. Absolutely no reason it belongs on this list.
Glad to finish this project in an artist I'd heard of and had been meaning to listen to more of. At 53 minutes, there's definitely cause to drop a couple of the weaker tracks and leave a stronger impression, which seems to be the core of the album - less is more.
fucking Astounding tbh FHJSFHJFSJFS i feel like ive been on a hot streak. liquid and silky enough that it could be easy to float aimlessly inside of but instead i feel my attention being reset with every track as a new soundscape rushes into the empty space in my ears. just the coolest production ever i fear...so natural in its blend of styles that it feels like the fifth album iteration of itself rather than a debut. the swirling soaky ambient qualities have this genuinely incredible chemistry with the stark, direct timbres of the vocal production. kelela cracks open interpersonal messiness with a kind of reassuring emotional command, art aware of its own existence as a reduction of feelings that can never be fully understood (see the closing track) and yet still fullfilling its purpose of retroactively granting order and meaning and beauty to the squishiest, most confusing parts of our lives...turning experiences into art as an assurance that you've reached the other side alive. seemed cool from the outset but just kept growing and growing and growing in stature in a way that totally took me off guard. would love to spend a lot more time with this one, and its very cool to see a pick from the past decade that is this genuinely exciting
Fun pop
la mitad de las canciones se sienten como ascender espiritualmente y la otra mitad se sienten como un vermú con muchas aceitunas <3
does this belong on the list? no, but its a good album and better than most of the other late additions to the list
1.5 - not for me
3.5 Wonderful discovery
I do really like the overall atmosphere of this album - it’s got that shimmering, ethereal sound that tends to pop up in a lot of music from this decade, and which I’m a bit of a sucker for. However, it never does enough with that to make it a truly great album; it feels homogenous and a little bland. Kind of disappointing. Favorite: Blue Light
Album #997 Modern pop R&B. Not my thing at all. Wikipedia says it's notable for incorporating various music styles. All that is lost on me, it all sounded the same. Overproduced mall music.
First Listen: Feb 18 2023 to whichever editor added this to the list: i love you
Didn't hate it, but it was a bit too much of the same. Every song trying to be slow and sexy. I'd be okay with that in small doses, but a whole album with no real variety doesn't do much for me.
Because winter is always warmer when you're around. One of the cheesiest lines I have heard in a while. But that happens when the producers have a cache of songwriters to choose from. This is just not my thing, I dont have the patience for artists who have very little to do with their albums but sing, and where you have a team of people writing your music and songs to try and get the next hit. Furthermore, can this team write anything other than love songs. Does this artist do anything else to sing about, or is their life just filled with constant love?
Not a bad album, just not my jam. Highlights: "Truth or Dare" and "Blue Light"
70
Didn‘t expect anything from this „R&B-Record“, not knowing about Kelela. But this Album isn‘t a plain R&B mainstream album, it‘s superb. Athmosperic, electronic and unconventionell Beats plus Kelelas great voice makes this Album great. Fav: Onanon
Hated it. Shit beats and annoying everything else. Decent voice.
My criticism-hat is fully donned for the few post-2010 entries on this list. I think that, in general, any albums of the last 15 years just haven't been out long enough to justify their inclusion on a list of the 1000 most important albums in (Western) musical history. According to Wikipedia, this album was noted for sounding futuristic. Can music sound "futuristic" if we don't know what the future sounds like yet? I understand placing Pink Floyd and Kraftwerk under the "futuristic" umbrella now that we're in the 21st century, but it's never justifiable to call them futuristic on release. The same goes for Kelela. And at this point she wasn't an established musician yet, so it's not like people knew she would influence the mainstream for years to come. (Also, for the record, several tracks from Kid A sound far more futuristic than any of the ones here, and that record came out 17 years earlier.) In fact, some of the best songs here are ones like Jupiter that lean into a more retro, 80s-esque feel. LMK is great, too, entirely because of its background synth riff and nothing else. The song may as well be that riff with that electronic percussion and it's an easy winner. All of that aside, the production is solid here, and the instrumentation is very good aside from the percussion sometimes using a trap beat (Frontline, I'm looking at you). I like some of the texturally simpler ballads, Better being one of the better ones (ha). I'm not a fan of the melodies. Generally it sounds like Kelela's moving around a minor pentatonic scale and absolutely nothing else – meaning Take Me Apart is very melodically uncatchy and uninteresting until the nifty key change partway through. Blue Light has exactly the same problem, amidst many others. Onanon isn't great, but there are so many overlapping melodies that you're kind of overwhelmed into admiring it. Lots of modern artists struggle with melodic writing – Bladee and Beyonce are two that come to mind – and Kelela is no exception. Altadena is a great closer relative to most of the other tracks, and I'm stumped as to how it's the least popular. 2/5 Key tracks: Jupiter, LMK, Altadena
good background music
didn't know what to expect from this one and was pleasantly surprised. the production is pretty cool and has an appealing lo-fi electronic style at points. kelela's voice is very nice. for me, my one complaint is that the album felt like it was a little bit front loaded, as it felt a little weaker and less interesting towards the end. but other than that, i love a nice surprise.
A bit too smooth for me. Became totally background and I tuned it out. Blah.
Some nice female vocal neo-soul
Surprised to see this here. Ive liked this album for quite a while, but its not something i go back to often. Listen to the more recent stuff, i like it more then i do this album
Apple Music labels this album as R&B/Soul, which it is at its core. But it's such fresh take on the genre. Amazing album. Each song so different. I loved it! Shades of Blood Orange perhaps. 5 Stars!
Enjoyed listening to this. Felt nice, harmless, an alright record. Don't think much of it will stick but hey, that's fine Songs added to playlist: - Frontline - Enough - LMK
Very slow for me all the way through. I couldn’t find anything that stood out. Kelela can sing very well though.
normally not a fan of longer songs but these keep me interested throughout the whole song. definitely not what i usually listen to but added about 75% of these songs to other playlists and will add them to my rotation.
I like the overall vibe of this music but the each song sounds pretty similar so as a all around album, it’s not my particular fave
Interesting production. Few good songs but it didn't seem too groundbreaking.
I was really underwhelmed by this album. The production was clean and well done. But I didn’t care for most of the lyrics and beats. I might’ve gotten my hopes too high cause the last few female singer r/b albums were awesome. But this was just a wildly boring album that’s didn’t get my attention outside of LMK. Which was the only song on the album I saved. Honestly if it wasn’t for that one song it would probably be much lower.
This alternative R&B album, all sleek shimmering synths, elastic bass lines, airy electronic textures, and vocals drifting from intimate murmurs to agile runs, ends up feeling boring and repetitive—like walking endless loops in a beautifully lit hallway where every door leads back to the same room.
I'm not the biggest fan of contemporary R&B, but there were some good tracks to be found here. Not the most inspiring choice of album, but far from the worst this project has thrown my way thus far.
gay
originally i was going to let this be a solid 2 from me. after sleeping on it and coming back to it today, i honestly see the vision way more now, and i actually think this ones pretty solid. some of the production is seriously beautiful. if the tracklist was cut by a few songs, this could easily have been a 5. standout tracks: take me apart, enough, onanon, turn to dust
R&B is really not my jam a lot of the time; I tend to dislike the ways the harmony flows. Extremely jazzed to have enjoyed this album as much as I did, and hoping it's a gateway to other R&B classics. Really silky production and very interesting instrumental choices.
Prefer her work in 'Raven' that sounds more forward thinking and otherwordly. This feels like above average R&B slop. But she is very talented. Check out her other stuff, especially her latest jazz-inspired live album.
Once again, not my cup of tea but I respect it
It just wasn’t for me
Stellar album
Not for me
r&b and electronic music. cool...
Enjoyed this more than I expected as I am not the biggest fan of modern r and b music. The production helped to elevate it and it wasn’t unpleasant on the ear.
Hard to rate this one. On the one hand, the synths, beats and general supporting rhythm and vibe would typically be in my wheelhouse. On the other, I’m not convinced by the R&B vocals over the top of it and it just seemed to put me off. Expect this is divisive as I can’t see R&B enthusiasts particularly liking it, and may put electronica enthusiasts like me off too. I like that it’s tried to do something different though as it is a blend not often heard and so should be lauded for that where novelty is harder to achieve nowadays, but am doubtful this is an album people should hear before they die. It ultimately sounded like something FKA Twigs has done but not to quite the same standard.
first song is neat but the rest is bland
Generic R&B - nothing wrong with it, but nothing stands out as notable.
Not my cup of tea. And, ironically, a cup of tea is my cup of tea. This is not tea. This is matcha or something else.
Didn't really grab me as much as I thought it was going too but I liked the electronic sound that accompanied it
14 songs of unremarkable electronicish R & B for getting sexy.
Modern R&B isn't my cup of tea. I prefer classic R&B and soul artists like Isaac Hayes. The first song, "Frontline", was actually good. I also think "Altadina" was a nice song. Every song after "Frontline" and before "Altadina" was average at best. 2 stars for "Take Me Apart".
referência - pop moderno - pads / texturas / synth reso basses 3-4 estrelas porque escutei rápido, dá pra prestar mais atenção
The production is great. However, this was very hard to rate, as what really caught my attention was the very interesting electronic production, but not the songs by themselves. My favourites on first listen: Frontlines, Enough, LMK
The meeting of R&B with electronic music. Sort of soulless soul. Echoes of Janet Jackson. It's clear that Kelela has vocal talent, but this is so hyper-produced that it socks the life out of it.
Good voice and vibe, but kind of same-y
MOTHER
2.5
Trialing some ambitious and expert musical/studio play in a generally dull and conservative genre. Some good song concepts and lyrics but then are sometimes wasted on facile personal stories
not for me
Highlights - LMK
bleh
Oh boy I am really not the target demographic for this. Beautiful vocals, shimmering production and some interesting modern beats but this is really not my genres - I don't know if this is better than the next R&B (is that what this is?) record. At the risk of sounding like an old man, this whole record sounds the same.
I had never heard of this artist before but this sort of avant-garde R&B is really interesting and compelling. There are some really great songs on here too.
Modern-day R&B that thinks that vocal mannerisms are an acceptable subsitute for actual melody.
This is a pretty standard pop album. Would probably hear any one of these songs in a retail store. Something about music that is overly produced just doesn't resonate with me. It sounds fine but I can't connect with it.
Big fan!
should out kelela shout out Arca this album rocks
Decent near-contemporary electro rnb. Not much that’s especially memorable but definitely paved the way for more interesting stuff from the next several years.
2.3 1x decent enough but not my style
A surprisingly solid album, given this list's track record with entries in this genre and time period.
Who dis?
Meh
3.5 53:46 (debut, 2017, 14 tracks) "Alternative R&B", American Pleasant album - never heard of Kelela. Not exactly my genre, would describe more as neo-soul than "Alternative R&B". It's soul plus electronica (some songs more than others, I preferred the ones with less.) Somewhat sounds like what Sade might sound like if she was born 30 years later. Probably not coming back to this but if someone suggested it during a road trip I'd be on board.
This is what I imagine all the clubs I don’t want to go into sound like. I didn’t really hate it until about halfway through, so maybe a twenty or twenty five minute run time would have been ideal.
2 only because this isn't really my type of music. Im sure it is good if that's your sort of thing
Listenable but not my thing.
It’s ok. Nothing remarkable.
The production on Blue Light was pretty cool, but otherwise I found this a pretty unremarkable RnB / pop album and I don't think it really belongs in the 1001.
Nothing memorable. Wasn't bad but not really my style. She has talent and it sounded good, songs were fine, production was good. Not something I will seek out to listen to again.
i hear this playing in brooklyn coffee shops or thrift stores. it's got a big of swagger and electronica, but not particularly great by any means.