Take Me Apart

I mean, it was pleasant enough. The low-key, chill vibes flowed well. I don't really see anything that makes it something I need to hear before I die, though. It seemed like something that is fine to have on in the background instead of commanding my attention. I didn't hate it, but wasn't really that impressed. Overall: 2.1/5

Banger R&B album, slept on accidentally.

Not my thing. Most of it sounds like it would work in a club for those who are into that kind of thing. It's quite chill, too much for my taste. Floaty club music that I found very boring.

I thought it was a really good album, very different to what I normally listen to, a bit slow but some great songs on there

I've never listened to this album (54). Not really my vibe.

It was ok, not my type of music though

i’m not super well versed in r&b, especially contemporary r&b, but this was a nice change of pace. i’m always surprised to see newer albums on this list for some reason lol 3.5

boring and repetitive, all the songs kinda sounded the same tbh

Some songs got cool melodies, but most of them are pretty average

Not my thing.not much more to say

I love her voice and the dreamy, spacey production, but overall not for me. I was into some of the songs but stretched out over the entire album I found the sound didn’t keep my interest.

Why exactly this is on the list?

I had never heard this album before, but there are some really good songs, and the production is very interesting.

Such an underrated album! When experimental music is done right, easily some of the best production I’ve heard on an album. Sometimes I can’t believe how seamless this album is for a DEBUT. Kelela did her big one! Favorites: Frontline, Better, and Blue Light - Also HM to Bluff, I wish this song was longer!

Great voice, but everything else is pretty generic.

For me this album sits around a low 4. Although it has interesting electronic-inspired beats and quality vocals + production, I for some reason am not finding myself moved by it. If anything I am finding myself somewhat bored. Which is weird, because a lot of what is here sounds similar to other artists that I love (e.g., FKA Twigs, elements of Sampha and SBTRKT, Jessy Lanza [to an extent]). I think ultimately my relative indifference is tied to the lack of tempo variation and/or surprises throughout this album. Don't get me wrong, there are moments of individual beauty. Jupiter is a very pretty instrumental and I love the interaction with the rain sampling. Waitin is a triumphant sounding jam with great vocal layering. LMK has a dark electronica instrumental that sounds a bit like Shlohmo or something in that realm. And Blue Light is just fantastic But otherwise, the album is beautiful but not exactly my mood today.

Went into this with high expectations seeing "electro R&B" as the genre. Left feeling pretty whelmed. Singer has a good voice, production is pretty good too, if not a little over produced at times. A little longer than I'd like on top of all of that.

Was alright in the first half I was grooving a bit. Can't lie I fell asleep on the couch for a minute while listening towards the end. But that must be a good thing that it is good napping music

Not my usual jam but the production is fantastic on it. Jupiter specifically. Blue Light has some fun sounds. Some of these songs' instrumentals remind me of some solo Thom Yorke in a way. Getting that from Turn to Dust right now. really enjoyed some of the beats and production. Solid 3.

This one is brand new to me and I always look forward to those albums. Starting with the first song - I don't know if I like this or not. I don't hate it. I feel like I'm going to tire of this one fairly quickly. The songs don't really vary at all from one to the next. It's sort of monotonous. I'm not a fan of electronic music in general, so this isn't exactly my bag nor would I say I am the intended audience. Her voice is good despite the autotune. I wish people would stop using autotune and just sing how you sing. I suppose some of it is done to achieve a specific vocal effect but it's distracting and sounds so artificial regardless. I guess it does fit with the electronic nature of the album though? I wish I could actually hear her sing for real though, seems like she could really do it. I also don't get the accolades for production and innovation in recording. This sounds like any other vocal electronic/R&B album from the mid 2010s. Maybe if this was from 1997 or something I would get it, but this is basically (and unfortunately) how music has been made for like 15 years now. Ultimately this is a mundane and boring record that somehow got some praise. 2/5

Note really my style of music.

Insane music production, beautifully cohesive and full of range

This was a difficult listen, R&B is one of few genres that I don't have many hours spent listened to. Soulful singing with hip-hop-styled beats sounds fine to me on paper but when I ACTUALLY listen to it, it just doesn't do it for me.

Trash r&b

This R+B/Soul album was not so bad actually.

This album had a very generic sound that seems to be found in this genre. Just not for me.

Meh. Nice voice, polished production, but kind of bland. 2*

Should be called "Take Me To Sleep." If you've got insomnia, put this on, and it will put you right out.

tough to get through

Vocals were good, music was ok. Overall better than expected, but unlikely to return to this. 3/5

I really liked this - it was very chill and vibe-ey - like the kind of thing I want to listen to while I'm journaling or writing.

Brilliant album.

Really a fine sounding album. I loved her album Raven that came out a few years after this one. Can it be argued an album less than 10 years old from an artist most people haven’t heard of shouldn’t be on this list? I suppose… but I think it’s cool this list and project includes some projects like this, especially in genres that typically aren’t my go-to like this one.

Lovely! It's very likely I would enjoy this more if I gave my full attention to it, although R&B tends to fade into the background for me, even when I'm doing something as simple as tidying up my house.

Long, repetitive, and boring. 2/5

chilled out and quiet modern R&B music. the production value is very hip and artistic, blending modern beats with lo-fi sweeps and synthesizers that wouldn't be out of place in a ambient trance album. i was pleasantly surprised by this entry, when it's artists you've never heard of before, it could be a bit impressive or it could be one of those albums that's pure audio sludge. this is most definitely the former category. again, it's very lo-fi, many synths feel almost primitive and imperfect, plus with the impressionistic way of singing and mixing... it's super duper spacey, almost hollow. it feels like music that would blend in easy in public spaces, like if you were playing it from a speaker on the ceiling. despite these small opinions i have, this album is a real hidden gem i think. if you're the kind of guy that likes your r&b music, but also indie pop/electronica stuff. it has that specific sound, done in a way that's actually remarkable.

It’s just not my kind of music. It’s not terrible, but it’s not great. It’s all very one note and monotonous.

I like modern R&B, but my knowledge isn’t deep. I hadn’t heard of this one. It was perfectly fine, but there isn’t a track on here that stands out. Just three star material all the way through.

Boring

I guess it was ok, as I didn't skip any songs. Kelela is a good songwriter and singer. It's just not my kind of music, but I appreciate her talent.

As discussed before, the editors of this list feel compelled to include newer albums as a way of updating the book. I had never heard of Kelela before, which felt odd to me since I have generally heard of nearly all of the artists on this list. I genuinely have no idea what is happening on this album that absolutely must be heard. There is a difference in a good album and an album that should be in this book. The intent of the book is to provide the listener with albums he/she may not have heard before or an album that provided something important to the overall music "scene." I think there is success on the former but do not think there is success on the latter. Unfortunately, this went in one ear and right out the other.

Great production and sound quality. Just not my style of.music.

Nice idea/production, but the songwriting and vocalist aren't very good.

Monotonous

Nice voice. Music is too commercial for my taste.

Found it very dull and boring.

#732. Nothing particularly interesting here. Not terrible, just not interesting. 2/5: meh

Honestly not my vibe. Definitely some vibes music.

I'm struggling to see the significance of this album. It's an r&b edm fusion. The mix is not bad to listen to but it doesn't feel particularly unique or profound.

Kinda blended together. Might have to give it another listen.

Dull.

idl why but i liked it

Take me to the shops at the Venetian in Vegas.

I liked it

Meh. Some inexplicable choices from more recent offerings. There is nothing outstanding enough about this for it to be all about the vibe or whatever she is going for. Dull

Hadn’t heard of her. Am now a big fan!

Dreamy, spacey, electronica-influenced R&B. I think it's cool how nowadays, R&B singers reach for electronica and dance beats as often as they do hip-hop beats. The line between the genres can often blur. My favorite R&B artist is Tinashe, and her recent albums have a mix of hip-hop, drum 'n' bass, and other electronica. It makes for great grooves and opens the genre up for a wide variety of sounds. This album has a similar style at times. A lot of these tracks border on being too dreamy for me though. I can get a little restless if the music is too formless or if the structure isn't clear. Then again, this isn't music to listen to while doing the dishes. It's bedroom music. Some of these spacey synths and meandering songs might work a lot better between the sheets. Overall, I liked this! Great style, even if there wasn't a ton of memorable songwriting. "Onanon" was my favorite here. The opening few songs are really good too.

This style of Pop R&B really needs to "wow" me for me to fully love it. I like just about every genre of music but this is one where I've really only listened to the huge names- and it's hard to compare to the Beyonce's, Rihanna's, Alicia Keys when they don't seem to ever miss. Even newer acts like SZA really stand out and do everything right to "wow" me in ways that this record doesn't. That's not to say that I didn't like this album, in fact I just saw Jorja Smith in concert a few months ago and loved it, and this record reminds me of her sound. The production is nice, and I appreciate the electronic elements, but this album came out in 2017 and it's not some groundbreaking stuff, so the songwriting really had to shine here.. and unfortunately it didn't.

I like the R&B vibes here, but the electronic beats just ruin it for me.

I liked the space-y production on this but wasn’t super engaged with any particular song. I’m not a huge R&B fan so any album like this is going to fall a little flat for me, especially if all of the tracks are kind of similar. I can’t see myself coming back to it again.

I can appreciate this and I found the melodies good but it needed more oomph.

Felt well produced but bland throughout. I feel like this is meant to have something deep and purposeful going on but I couldn't find it.

I enjoyed her voice and I gave it two full listens. The lyrics are pretty generic. It was nice and well produced, but not really doing anything that separated it from the pack.

3.4

Slightly too long; sometimes atmospheric, sometimes intense; clean vocals that are elevated by autotune; it is almost experimental. I gave it 3 listens and I think it is alright—or at the very least not a waste of time.

Interesting alt R&B, but it sounds pretty typical of modern dance music.

A pleasant blend of electronic and modern r and b. Usually this ethereal sounding music about the woes of being a woman doesn't impress upon me, but this was a good listen.

BASS. SO MUCH BASS. AND I LOVE IT! Contrasted with her ethereal vocals, it’s so pleasing. Her voice is so clean and the tone is angelic. Love the atmospheric intros. The writing is solid. “Will your love ruin my heart?” is one of the best lines I’ve heard. Production is heavy-handed at times; less can be more. Almost feels like trip-hop R&B. Exactly what I wanted to discover by doing this project.

É um álbum ok de R&B. Achei um pouco genérico e esquecível, mas o motivo pode ser que não sou o maior fã do gênero. TRN Conch.

good modern r and b album! great production and she has a beatiful voice. not 100% my thing but I really enjoyed it. 3.5

Good stuff. Haven’t gotten an R&B album in a while I sometimes forget how much I love this genre. The production is always so top notch. Some of the album cuts lost me, but the highs are awesome.

Good voice. Alright music for the genre.

this is the sort of genre that kind of continually escapes me. it's nice, i like it when i hear it, she has a nice voice obviously, but it just very easily blends from one to the next (and from one artist to another) so nothing really stands out for me.

Dobre ale nie rób więcej

Pretty good. Easy to listen to.

Had never heard of this one. Surprisingly good. Very sensual R&B married with electronic music. The Janet Jackson meets Bjork description holds up.

Latter part of the album was better than the first. It went from pretty basic r&b to actually good. Wish it held that quality throughout.

I initially wasn’t sure quite what to make of this album, but then I noticed that it’s a release on the Warp label which is always reassuring to me. It’s R&B at heart, but married with some gorgeous, understated electronica and immaculately produced. It’s a debut album and she lists her influences as R&B, Jazz and Björk which sort of makes sense if you think about the more laid back and ambient areas of those genres. I’m definitely intrigued by this album enough to listen to this again and investigate more of her work.

R'n'B is not my cup of tea, but this list has the merit to make me listen to things that I can actually appreciate. As noticed by others, it was released by Warp, which is both surprising for an R'n'B record, and a sign of quality. And it shows, the background music is good electronic music, a bit experimental, a bit ambient. The voice is nice too, not too much as it might be in the genre. Overall a good surprise.

A bit of a mixed bag - some tracks I really liked and some interesting production choices, but some duller patches. It’s a three-star album with a four-star trying to burst out,

This was disappointing, I really wanted to like this but it just felt so uninteresting. Nice voice and good production but just so boring, I was waiting for this to be over by the third song. I don’t know what it is but it almost felt soulless to me, missing something

Not my thing but some merit

Not for me this one.

Unique and smooth sound that fails to ignite. Background music.

Dear list. I appreciate you bringing me some more contemporary fare to broaden my horizons, but will you please desist it with the chav sex music. Let’s just leave this shit to teenagers smoking weed in their Mum’s Fiesta in a car park.

Non è il mio, posso capire che piaccia ma non capisco perché sta nell'elenco

The production on this is fantastic.

Generic pop wuth that meth tweaker percussion the 2010s loved so much. There must be hundreds of albums just like this one, I dont get what's so cant-miss about it.

I have to wonder whether Kelela was just as confused as I was to see her album pop up on this list. I mean, it’s okaaay. But is it really as groundbreaking as it’s lauded to be? It’s generic noughties R&B to my ears. ⭐️⭐️

Like it 3/5

Meh

2010’s is probably my least favourite decade of music… and this is like stepping into 2010’s pop radio 2/5

Decent production on this album, not exactly my thing but i can see why someone would enjoy it

Beautiful album. Frontline, LMK, and Truth or Dare are *chefs kiss*. This will absolutely be on a regular rotation of listening.

I found this to be pleasant but everything literally sounded the same. 7/10

This was ok. Not really up my alley but I can tell that it's produced and performed well. My problem with some R&B albums is that they can seem monotonous. No real criticisms but probably won't come back for a visit

Very nice and smooth album. Had never heard of this artist. Album got saved

Not my kind of music and probably wouldnt listen to it again but somewhat enjoyed it. Songs were hit or miss for me

Not bad actually, not my genre but was nice to listen to.

Frontline 2.3 Waitin 2 Take Me Apart 2.2 Enough 2 Jupiter 1.6 Better 1.3 LMK 1.6 Truth or Dare 1.4 S.O.S. 1.2 Blue Light 1 Onanon 0.7 Turn to Dust 1 Bluff 1 Altadena 1.4 Score: 1.478571429

soulful. liked it

Decent enough

Really into this--sounds great and she has a fantastic voice. Interesting getting this next to Sade. I think I'm at a 3.5 but bumping.

Smooth, but boring.

I guess I'm deaf because I actually thought this was kinda pretty. Maybe you're the deaf ones.

ethereal. spacey. chill. voice.

This was good. I was digging to groove.

Absolutely not

This album was very smooth and pleasant, but feels like it took a very long time to get through it. I found myself looking at the time a lot. This doesnt mean I didn't like it, I did, but this definitely is not the album for midmorning staying busy at work music. Feels like this is the kind of music you should not be alone for.

3/5. Objectively, this is good R&B and the production is high tier. Kelela has an amazing voice and what she does with filters and her vocals is unique and definitely stands out. The issue is that I am not really getting the emotion I should from these songs. It kind of hits familiar notes that were touched on but there are still creative liberties taken that help it out. Overall, this is a good one to play to front to back but not game changing. Best Song: LMK, Frontline, Take Me Apart

no conocía a esta artista pero me ha gustado mucho. me encantan los efectos que le mete a las canciones, las armonías y sonidos que hacen cada canción única. el r&b es un género que me gusta mucho. canciones favs: frontline, take me apart, better, LMK,

RnB south London soul too smooth to my tastes never loved it always associate with Sam c.

Not bad at all but I can't really judge how good it is because it's out of my musical jurisdiction

Forgettable, for my taste, but I still had a good time.

It's so out of my musical taste and interest, that I just don't know how to rate this one. Nothing disgusted me on this record, but I also felt nothing! I'll just leave 3 stars here, by respect and good faith!

This was pretty awesome

I have to admit, I am just not a fan of R&B, so this album was always going to be a tough sell for me. That said, Kelela is clearly a talented singer. Her voice is smooth and confident, and the production has a sleek, modern polish that fits the genre perfectly. For me, most of the songs blended together without leaving much behind. The vibe is consistent and stylish, but since R&B is not my thing, it felt more like background music than something I would come back to. Still, credit where it is due. Kelela is skilled, and people who enjoy this style will likely get a lot more out of Take Me Apart than I did. It is fine, just not for me.

"Your call is important to us" music.

Seemed like it would be right up my alley. A beautiful voice blended with electronic music. Not enough variety for my taste, though. Songs started to blend together by the end.

I'm really liking this album because of the trance/glitch hop/trap elements. This album was produced in 2017, and there's a lot of similarities with the modern KPOP that has crossed over into the west recently (2025) and focuses a lot on hard catchy beats as a foundation. Was Kelela the first to do this? Definitely not and songs like Truth or Dare or Altadena sounds exactly like it could be a Janet Jackson song from the 80's. I think the album is a good progression for R&B music that has, in my opinion, completely fallen flat as a genre in the last 20 years. It's cool to see how Kelela set herself apart in 2017 and I think she did so successfully. I'm really torn on this one because although I really like the album, i'm trying to justify it as being an album that you should listen to before you die vs just being an album that I like. The lyrics frankly are uninspired and follow the same R&B cliches of failed relationships and love. There's really no historical or cultural context, but I acknowledge there is historical bias. It's difficult to judge a contemporary album and it's impact unless there is an immediate cultural shift....but i've never even heard of this album or artist. I listened to it like 4 or 5 times today during work trying to figure out how I feel about it. 1001 albums is a lot and they can't all be life changing and sometimes it's just about hearing something new, which is part of why i'm working through this list. I'm glad I listened to this album for it's progressive take on R&B and mixing in electronic/Trap elements and I guess i'll leave it at that.

I enjoyed the first half , not sure if it takes some warming up or it’s just better … gonna play back a few times and find out

Smooth and futuristic background sounds

Too long, especially for how similar all the songs are.

R&B is just not my thing

I liked a few elements in a couple of the songs otherwise I did not care for it.

R&B is helemaal niet mijn muziek, maar zoals het op dit album is gedaan vind ik het nog wel goed te doen met die grote electronische beats en goede productie. Alles wat interessant is speelt zich dan ook vooral in de beats af, niet zozeer in de zang. Al is de zang prima bijpassend. Dit album toevoegen aan een lijst als deze is zoals we in goed Nederlands zeggen wel een beetje een stretch, maar qua luistergenot staan er een hoop albums waar ik minder uit haalde in deze lijst. Ik kan er geen 4 voor geven en er staat geen enkel nummer tussen wat ik ooit nog zal aanzetten, maar het is wat mij betreft toch een best stevige 3 sterren. Al moet ik er ook nog bij zeggen dat 53 minuten wel een stevige zit is aangezien het toch allemaal redelijk zwaar aanvoelt.

A solid album I enjoyed throughout, but like most all of the albums put in this list from the last 10 years I haven’t heard about, I question their need to be on a list like this. Probably would’ve been fine to not hear this before I died. That being said it was still an alright album.

Lovely

Never heard of this artist, so I have no expectations. This album is fine. Not really something I'm keen to come back to. Better is a decent song.

cool shower music. Would relisten

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Turn To Dust I guess I don't really like the R&B genre too much. Never liked when rap/hip-hop music veered into it and definitely don't enjoy it on its own. I don't think there's anything particularly bad about this album. I just don't really want to listen to it. I gave it my customary 2 listens and that's enough for me. As I think about it though, I do like the fusion of electronica and other genres. Does TOKiMONSTA constitute R&B in any regards? This album seems at least functionally similar in some ways to a TOKiMONSTA production, sans all the featured artists... I'm not sure.

no

Ok

First intro, solid

This was really good, though not really my thing. Better than most radio R&B, not sure why this isn’t more popular. Not poppy enough I guess.

Everything sounds a little too similar. Her voice and delivery are good, but the album lacks a bit of substance. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again

hello it's will welcome to my first review first off tell me ariana grande wasn't obsessed with this album, she listened to the first couple songs and immediately made it her whole Thing lmao this album is so gorgeous. infectious melodies, beautiful harmonies, immersive soundscapes, it's like taking a bubble bath with dim candles and rose petals very comfortable listen overall while still being engaging and interesting. her voice is super compelling and it floats on top of the instruments so seamlessly. production is stunning too favorite tracks: frontline, enough, LMK, onanon

It's nice

Enjoyable, very vulnerable, and great vibes. Probably not something I’ll spin often but won’t mind if it comes on.

Really enjoyed Onanon, but all the other tracks were a bit of a snooze

Not annoying.

Not for me

first tracks are great but the longer it goes more repetitive it sounds, like I have just jeard the same song again and again

Gefällt mir

Ultimately forgettable, even 5 minutes after listening. I can see that she's trying to be The Weeknd, but failing spectacularly. No hooks, no chorus, just uninteresting lyrics on a beat machine.

Why was this so well reviewed? I don’t hear anything special.

Nice production and pleasant voice. This style is just not my type of thing.

🎵 Day 32 / Kelela – Take Me Apart (2017) 🗯 Unsure why this is on the “must hear before you die” list, it’s sonic wallpaper for H&M and the like. I can see why this was lauded in 2017 — sleek, futuristic R&B production that felt fresh at the time. But time moves fast, and now it just drifts by without much grip. It isn’t bad but it slides by in a haze, all style and little that sticks. Verdict: Not essential For fans of: FKA twigs (on a coffee break), Solange’s A Seat at the Table but with the edges sanded off

Pretty, chill, electronic r&b

In a select group that are lucky there's no zero stars option.

Fairly average R&B album

Interesting album. I guess you could call this contemporary R&B? A touch of avant garde about it. Production was pretty excellent, interesting mixture of sounds which were great on headphones. I actually think it would be the basis for a great dance music album - it’s got that sort of ethereal feeling at times that you get some Bicep or some liquid dnb. Ultimately though it doesn’t really go anywhere and I found myself getting bored towards the end.

Aaargh, dit is zo'n standaard R&B album! Ik had hier echt meer van verwacht, maar als een album recent is toegevoegd dan verwacht ik geen standaard R&B album waar ik toevallig nog nooit van gehoord heb. Begrijp me niet verkeerd, de vocals zijn prachtig en Kelela heeft een fantastische stem, maar toch... Blue Light is het eerste(!) nummer dat me pakt, omdat er iets gebeurt. Er word eindelijk iets gedaan met trippy instrumentals waardoor het voelt als laat in de nacht. Dát is ook precies wat ik had verwacht van een album uit 2017. Maar dan ben je dus al ver over de helft van de 14 nummers. Blue Light is het 10e nummer. En echt waar, daarvoor is het gewoon niet zo bijzonder. Ik irriteer me altijd kapot aan 13 in een dozijn indierockalbums, dit is helaas ook gewoon een 13 in een dozijn R&B album, waar richting het einde de producer wakker schrok dat het 2017 was en hij toch echt wel wat interessantere productie kon afleveren. Jammer. FAVO: Blue light, Altadena

Sounds more like stuff you'd find on spotify top X lists than a book supposedly bookmarking notable music.

Album 863 of 1089 Kelela - Take Me Apart (2017) Rating : 1 / 5 Described as Electronica/Soul, it just does absolutely nothing for me. Not to sound cliché, but I see no reason for this album to be on this list - none. It feels like a cross-genre experiment that, for my ears at least, simply didn’t work. I can respect the effort, but it’s not one I’ll be revisiting.

there's simultaneously nothing wrong or right with this album

Enjoyable. But not really memorable.

This one felt pretty mediocre to me. I didn’t find it particularly emotional or special. I’d rather give this place to Ariana Grande’s record. A smooth listen, but not one that stood out.

Can hear the innovation and how this might have stood out in 2017. Got the standard RnB pop feel, but then really uses electronic nicely for a deeper and heavier feel. ‘Take Me Apart’ a clear example. It’s kinda R&B soundscape and a nice unique sound but pretty familiar half way through the album and nothing to keep me hooked. Fair play for the difference but lacking much substance beyond that.

Probably fine if you like this but idc.

Zuhause, Heidenheim, Deutschland. Schweinelangweilig.

She has a great voice.

She's got a great voice but like most Electronica stuff, it all sounds the same. 3 tracks in and I know what I'm getting.

Every song sounded exactly like the previous one. There is nothing special about this album or any of the songs. It's a perfectly plain album with no soul to it.

She has a pretty voice, but each song is rather nondescript and nondistinctive. It's fine and pretty but nothing that's a standout

Quite liked this. Surprising vibe enjoyed listening to it loud.

Some great tracks at the start but tapers off towards the end

Doesn't do anything for me.

Cut 4 Me ville have været bedre at have på listen imo! Synes den her er lidt for monoton og lang, selvom der er nogle stærke numre på

Meget velproduceret, jeg husker det som en kæmpe plade i den der (post-post-post-)dubstep bølge. Synes alligevel at det bliver lidt stenet.

Crazy good production and the singles are bangers - the rest feels like filler

It's fine.

Neither high nor low for me. It's an album.

Cool album. Out of my dumb old rock guy wheelhouse, but I liked it quite a bit. Good for a late night drive.

This was a pretty good little R&B album, said as someone who doesn't listen to this genre very much at all. 3.2/5

Interesting album that I enjoyed. I can't say I loved it, but I did like it quite a bit and am interested in hearing where she goes with this sound. 3.49/5

Solid album, I don’t quite know how to define it, but the whole album felt well performed. The vocals are melodic, and the backing beats are emotive

love it. Onanon is a highlight. Maybe a little bloated but overall an enjoyable listen

Got around four things and realized it’s just not my thing.

I've tried many times with Kelela. Seems like the kind of music I'd love. But I just don't connect with it. The production is great though.

Not really my type of music. It was okay, but nothing that grabbed me enough to want a second listen. The best bit was when Tidal automatically started playing a track by Mount Kimbie at the end - never heard of them before, but now I’m taking a deep dive!

I remember frontline having a real moment. Wonder whatever happened to Kelela?

Uninspiring and unoriginal - same old insipid pop-schlock. After just a few songs in, I began to look forward to the "Super-Sod" and "Liberty Mutual" ads.

The two stars are for trying, because I will always value music that tries to sound different, even if it falls flat on its face, and unfortunately that is exactly the case for Kelela's debut Take Me Apart.

Interesante voz, interesante la electrónica, y listo, esito sería todo.

Actually quite enjoyed this!

Real good. Just real good.

1,5

Some interesting parts, but all felt the same

This shits actually incredible, wish I had heard it years ago. 9/10

No idea why this made the list but it’s fine

The first few tracks were pretty enjoyable but then the tracks became indistinguishable from one another and I sort of lost interest. It was pleasant to listen to, but it was eventually just on in the background.

Great voice

While not typically my style, I enjoyed this. Her voice was very good and the music wasn't the most simple 3-chord keyboard and cricket drums that are all over pop music these days. It won't likely be on my playlists, but I certainly wouldn't just turn it off like I would for most pop diva music.

3/10 I experienced some weird glitch listening to this album. I could have sworn I'd listened to an hour. I would have put a lot of money on it. But when I checked, I wasn't half way through! How was it possible?? Either I fell into some kind of time warp, or the bland, mono-pace of this music caused the audio illusion of time slowing to a snails pace. Please make it stop.

Good! Sometimes a bit too electronic for me, but I generally was on board. I wish some of the songs were a bit shorter, as they lost their impact with too much repetition.

This was great! I'd never heard of Kelela (I just had to scroll up to remember her name, haha) before today, but I absolutely loved this album. Every track sounded different from the previous and they were all so melodic and funky and cool and I just loved her voice and the production quality is just absolutely perfect. Well-written, well-performed, well-recorded, just spot on. I have no idea what genre this even is (soul or r&b maybe?), but I loved it, and listened to it twice. Five stars.

Reminds me of a poor man’s Morcheeba. Repetitive and vapid. Avoid.

Not sure what the is added to the world that pop rnb icons haven’t. I feel like this was an album of Beyoncé songs that didn’t make the cut. And I’m not super compelled by the breathy soulful affectation she embraces. With the negative old man stuff out of the way, she has a strong voice and some of the beats aren’t hurting anyone.

Meh

Kinda like Frank Ocean or the Weeknd's early stuff, except that I guess she did it first, which is cool.

Not my style of music so maybe I’m missing why this album (and style) is worthy of this list. It was fine, but nothing stood out.

One of the top reviews compared it to the music they play at the mall, and that is bang on. Destined to be the soundtrack at Zara.

Had no idea what to expect from this, but I liked it. Definitely a different sound from similar artists in 2017, so I understand why it made the list, plus her vocals are great and the production is pretty good too. Not sure this has staying power, but it was enjoyable and is a good addition for 2010s albums.

super chill, cohesive. couldnt quite get into it for the whole runtime, but lots of songs I'll add to specific playlists

1. front - 1.5 2. uuaiting - 1 3. take - 1 4. enough - 1 5. jupiter - 1 6. better - 1.5 7. lmk - 0 8. truth - 1 9. z.o.z. - 1.5 10. blue - 1.5 11. onanon - 1 12. duzt - 1.5 13. bluff - 0 14. altadena - 0 NOT ONE GOOD ZONG , UUTF

Frontline - Very cool vibes. Waitin - Beat doesn't really match the vocals right. Take Me Apart - I like the vocals on this, the lowkey vibe is perfect for her. Enough - Reverb fits well. Jupiter - Rain sound affects is nice, mellow song. Better - Emotional, Smooth vocals and beat. LMK - I'm not a fan of the lower bass-like sound. Truth Or Dare - I like the feel of this one, Autotune is distinctive here. S.O.S. - The added percussion distracts from the song. Blue Light - Attention grabbing intro, impressive range. Onanon - Again the extra stuff distracts me. Turn To Dust - The echoing is cool. Bluff - Repetitive lyrics, Weird scratching sounds. Altadena - They all sound like Ariana Grande songs.

Not bad, decent slumperness.

Sounds like any other generic, over-produced, auto-tuned pop album from the 2000s/2010s

It was ok to listen to, maybe a little too long, but otherwise pleasant.

Not for me but not bad I guess?

I had never heard of her, and not my thing, but I can appreciate this is a good example of the genre.

Outside my usual genre but fun and clearly well-made.

Look. I wrote a review in the office earlier today that said "boring". but I have now listened to it very loud in my ears after 3 pints on the night bus and honestly it's a vibe. Sometimes you just gotta find the right situation.

It sounded like this might be more interesting but it just seemed like r&b with a decent singer to me.

Not my jam

Perfectly fine. Nothing stands out, but it's well produced. Didn't get much time to give it a proper listen.

I liked the production of it, but it wasn’t really my cup of tea.

I think there are a lot more albums that would represent R&B or electronic R&B better than this. Beautiful vocals but thats all there is to it. Lyrically it provides nothing. Though it apparently made the list for being experimental, I would say its basic and overdone (or maybe just not done right?). Maybe in another lifetime I will appreciate this. Vocals are great tho!

Day545 - i didn’t have high expectations going in but i was pleasantly surprised

This is a mood-setting album. Perfect for driving in the rain (as I did).

Shit pop

This is a pretty damn good modern R&B album. It brings vibes, big sensuality, bliss, and hypnotic grooves. The beats are atmospheric and spacy although sometimes the production comes in with a basic hat and takes me out of it, or a lead or something like that. It happened often enough during the almost hour long runtime to bring it to my attention. Some instrumentals are more retro, like Truth or Dare. It's a seductive burner for sure. There are some elements of future garage on here too towards the backend of the album. I think this album could be better if it was a bit shorter only because the song writing does not really carry some of the beats once you've heard a few. On vibes alone it is a fun listen though.

I really enjoyed this album. It's warm, sensual, and funky.

Very average. I could’ve heard any of these songs walking around the mall.

This may be my bias because this was my senior year and I could think of so many better albums and artists who were putting out music in 2017, but this album had nothing unique or special about it to make this list. Her voice was good but it was nothing mind blowing. I found the album boring and redundant. Overall, this album was not Mika Puff Tee.

I really enjoyed this. Reminded me a lot of Imogen Heap. I went and listened to the rest of their discography as well. I think I might have found a new favorite artist.

Felt a little too generic to me. I’m sorry. I bet she could do some amazing stuff with her voice but this was just okay. 🫣

Never heard of this artist. It’s fine for background music, nothing really stuck out for me on this album.

Not for me. It is too many genres in one, but all the boring ones. It is also overly synthesised, and as a violinist, that sound is hard on my ears.

I did like this, but found it a little boring overall - some songs stood out (LMK), but overall, this didn't grab my attention. 3/5

Wow, this is good.

Beautiful album! I loved her voice, and I loved how her style of R&B matched up with the electronic instrumentals. The Arca beats especially were sick.

Is turning to glitchy alt-R&B after not making it in indie or prog akin to someone leaving LA for Nashville because they couldn’t make it as a pop singer and going country? This was not bad really, but it’s also not good. Too much emphasis on the vocals, not really any music to speak of. And so incredibly generic that it has no place on this list. There are thousands of albums that sound just like this and are of just as good a quality. This was an absolute non-entity of an album.

Pleasant enough as background music, but nothing really stood out.

High 3/low 4, solid vibes

This is a genre that I am not normally a fan of....modern R & B / Alternative R & B? Damn I didn't even know tha thing. But it is and I like it. At least I like this album. Predominantly elecronic music that is mixed and arranged in such a way as to seem organic. Not a bad little trick. Nowithstanding the studio mastery its the vocals that are the star of the show and there's no mistaking the talent ed pipes that Keleka posesses. The tempos never get up higher that mid, but her voice commands each phrase as to make for a consistently interesting listen to these typicaly un-interessed ears. enough so that I'm tended to delve deeper into Keleka's catalogue. 3.5 stars bordering on 4

Very nice voice, I had a lot of fun listening to this, she seems very cool

Making its presence felt at the perfect time for more explicitly experimental offerings from Black artists, Kelela stakes her claim amongst the fray with this earnest, tension riddled album. Perhaps it is a song or two too many but everything that's needed to be said and done is all packed here, waiting to be indulged and embraced with all fervor. Favorites: Frontline, Waitin, Take Me Apart, Enough, LMK, S.O.S., Blue Light, Onanon, Turn to Dust.

people think rym has a problem with women… wait until they start using this website… beautiful album with incredible vocal performances and awesome production … at least admit the arca produced songs are good i mean yeesh

The song "Take Me Apart" is fairly catch with a unique sound. Not my favorite genre by any means. I have never heard of Kelela before this.

Perhaps the most surprising album I've loved on this list so far. Electronica & R&B is almost an impossibly bad combination for me, but this one strikes me. And I'm not entirely sure why. I was torn between 4 and 5, and I ultimately went with the 5 just to make sure it qualified for my list of vinyl to buy

Great voice but I found the majority of this forgettable

At this point I’m just happy when it’s not some weird British band. Good production, nothing that really grabbed me. High 3.

Very good "slow burn" soul/R&B.

Fun to just hear a r&b album with modern production. Reminds me a lot of SZA’s CRTL which came out the same year but with some more electronic music integrated into it. Beautiful voice too. Would do a 4.5 if possible.

Nice voice and good use of bass and dubstep, but not much variation between tracks.

Alright

Simpele pop

++: Enough +: Waitin, Take Me Apart, Jupiter, Truth or Dare +-: Frontline, Better, LMK, S.O.S., Blue Light, Bluff, Altadena -: Onanon, Turn to Dust 3,7/10

Not a fan of futuristic music, or EDM or R&B. Not my thing.

New one on me, and decent enough.

Interesting

This is not for me

Competent.

20th century vox, 21st century pop

I’ve never heard of Kelea or this album before, but based on what I’m reading about this album, I think it’s going to be right up my alley. This sounds like a unique album, and I’m excited to fire it up! While I expected to like this album, it fell a little bit shy of my expectations. I enjoyed the overall sound of the album, and I thought the production work was really outstanding. The sound of this album really enveloped me, which I really liked. Musically, this reminded me a lot of The XX, due to the sound of the production and the way that the sound just put me at ease. Even though I liked the sound, I didn’t find it particularly novel or noteworthy. I think I would have liked it more if it would have had some songs in major keys (at least I think that’s what I mean to say, I’m not very well versed in music theory). Granted, musically, this album’s sound supported the lyrics and songwriting quite well, but it came at the expense of any variation in the sound. I thought “Better” and “LMK” were two of the strongest songs on the album, because I really enjoyed their main melodies. I wasn’t really into the vocals that much on this album, but they also didn’t do anything to detract from my experience either. I wouldn’t mind firing this album up again some time; it was nice to listen to today while I did some admin stuff at work, and I think this is the type of album that could possibly grow on me with repeat listens. My initial impression of this album though is that it’s fine and enjoyable.

Not so my favourite style, but easy listening stuff

Decent but nothing memorable

Didn't make it all the way through. Didn't realise how long track 1 was and questioned if all the songs sounded the same. Got to track 3, good vocals but almost all back sounds similar.

cushy

Favorite Track: LMK

Well produced R'n'B/Soul album, though all the songs sounded the same without exception. Not sure why it is on the list when there are so many other artists in this genre. It was smooth and listenable as a background music, so it gets a 2 instead of only one star.

Interesting. Sultry. Well worth a second listen.

Albums I would hear playing at Zara (derogatory). Didn't have it in me to listen all the way through.

Too one-note to be almost an hour

This album isn’t bad at all, in fact it’s pretty solid, but it suffers from a long run time, and not really producing anything super memorable. Kelela has talent, and definitely soul, but I never found that any of the tracks proved to me why she should be on this list. I also felt like they could have trimmed the album down by a few songs and produced a slightly stronger showing. With how much amazing female R&B talent is out there, it makes this album choice a little baffling. 3.25 / 5

Relaxing music

Her new album "Unplugged at the Blue Note" is much better. This strays so far from r and b and hip hop that to.me it just becomes bland pop.or dance pop.

Nice

Great!

This album sounds the same as any number of low end R&B from the late 90s to the early 00s. There are others who did it better then and the fact that this was decades later means it wasn’t even novel.

This is the sort of album that would be played in a ‘high end apparel store’. So generic and soulless that no one realises how long they’ve been in the store. The production is fine, but the lyrics are incomprehensible. It’s the next decade version of that MJ Cole album on here. Both equally terrible and makes you question the whole point of the list. Is this really something that I needed to listen to before I died.

Surprising, amazing, ethereal, space R&B

Okay album, not for me 3/5

Sounds very pretty but I don’t care for r&b

It was fine for what it was but what it was was not for me.

Not for me, although she has a nice voice.

nice but a bit sweary

Eeeee. It was the R&B equivalent to listening to elevator music.

This is so my vibe. Reminds me of Solange, SZA and Banks. Soulful and seductive. Dreamy, smooth vocals and harmonies. Sick beats.

Just not for me

Velvet Software Glitches This album isn’t just an experience—it’s a modulated dissection of desire, vulnerability, and letting go. It’s like: • Sade got uploaded to the cloud • And then got ghosted by a cyborg • And then wrote 12 flawless songs about it Take Me Apart is heartbreak on a hard drive. • It’s sleek, experimental, sensual, and a little haunted. • It’s what your ex’s texts would sound like if they had taste and reverb. Listen to this while walking alone at night, headphones in, city lights flickering, and a tiny part of you hoping someone stops you to ask, “Are you okay?” (Spoiler: You’re not. But you sound amazing.)

17/1001. An R& B Björk? Interesting? The album start is promising, the electronic production is great, her voice of course as well. But the atmosphere, mood, the energy level stay the same throughout the record. It feels there is no real songwriting? Her voice goes up and down, repeating the same-ish melodies over and over. Thanks for 1001 project for introducing this artist, something to keep an eye open for sure.

Meh rnb

Le pongo buena nota únicamente porque al fin se acuerdan de algo que no sea rock y blanco. El álbum es muy coherente y top producción, pero siento que se volvió muy monotematico a mitad de camino. Blue light el más destacado. Nota: 3.7 pero pongo 4

That was kinda cool!! I danced. But ultimately not interesting enough

Didnt even notice it

Kelela created quite a beautiful and smooth album. I liked the combination of electronica and r&b. The soulful aspects of r&b smoothed the rougher edges that usually accompany electronic music. But this album still had the same problem most electronic albums do: it’s too repetitive. Kelela’s voice is lovely and I’m sure the lyrics were great, but I could not get past the repetitive nature. Better than Daft Punk, though.

Kelela was new to me, but damn does this woman have some great vocal chops! I won't say that R&B and electronic music have never been mixed before, but there's something quite unique about the approach to doing so here. It's less of an R&B album with electronic overlays and more of an album where the electronic sound has been engrained into the R&B sound. Parts of this album sound pretty interesting, and other parts do drag a little bit. All in all, I really did find myself taken in by Kelela's voice, and couldn't help but enjoy this.

Meh

Just a solid listen from front to back, it's smooth as hell and has consistently great production. Nothing groundbreaking or completely revolutionary, but there really is nothing here to dislike.

This is some cool girl vibe music.

Debut album. Electronic / RnB. This is a very tightly produced album. I'll give it that. However, musically it doesn't change in tone or pace at any point. It goes nowhere. A boring collection of monotonous shades of beige.

Smooth contemporary soul

Perfectly pleasant chilled out soul and R&B and done well too! It’s not groundbreaking, or by any means one of the best in its field but I didn’t switch it off so that’s something!

I wasn't looking forward to this as I'm not a fan of R&B but I actually enjoyed it. The vocals and lyrical content didn't really stand out for me (although she certainly sing), it was more that the music was a kind of more abstract R&B, with a much greater sonic palette than you hear in more commercial music. Then after listening I saw it was released on Warp which is my favourite label, which makes sense. A pleasant surprise.

Not largely my cup of tea. I think Martin's review is spot on. A few songs I recall mildly enjoying but hard to remember.

I'd never heard of this. It was pretty good. But some of the drum machine stuff was annoying. I reckon I could find 3 or so tracks that I really like, but from one listen I can't pick any out, everything was very similar sounding, but not in a terrible way. Might have to have another go.

Soulful, big sound R&B. Very enjoyable with high volume and plenty of bass. Wasn't always compelled to listen to the lyrics much, but I feel the production and blend of genres is something to revel in. Will listen again. 4 stars, but a high 4.