Reviews (page 5 of 7)
surprisingly decent
Modern R&B isn’t really my thing but this was a solid album. Vocal harmonies were really nice.
I enjoyed it. Great voice
I think this would be a bit of a grower, she's no FKA Twigs but still decent
Good but not overwhelming
Very cool! As usual, feels great to hear an album from the last decade. I've seen this one around and heard of Kelela, but never listened to her music before. I like this one a lot, not entirely distinguishable from a lot of contemporary R&B artists, but there are some great instrumentals here. I will say this, though: if they put this album from 2017 on the list and somehow SZA's Ctrl doesn't make it, the whole list is getting the bin. Favorite tracks: Frontline, Waitin, Jupiter, Turn to Dust. Album art: Really like the warmth of this one. Just an artist portrait, but the color and lighting is very nice. 3.5/5
I have never heard of this artist but the album was ok, but sounded like alot of the r&b albums from this time period so not sure what made it a "must listen."
i love the percussion and bass lines, and while i love her voice, the melodies put on top of everything don't usually work for me. bumping a star cause i re-listened to specific tracks on their own, outside of an album play, and they worked better for me? i wonder if i enjoy kelela's pieces more as singles, than as an entire album i'd queue start to finish
Sexay!
Really soulful, lovely stuff.
Not my normal groove but a delightful morning focus time listen
I kinda like this kind of shit tho, ima dobrih stvari kao tipa Frontline, Better, Jupiter i LMK.
just finished my first listen. need to listen again before i give it a definitive ranking.
Intimate, artful, stylish, thoughtful and compelling....I just wish it were a little more fun. I’m probably not the demographic to really get this but I find myself saying “why so serious” in the middle of this. Sometimes art and commitment aren’t enough. I like it better than Simon and Garfunkel though.
Like her music. (Wrote her after know that Kelela percibes herself as queer.) Kelela Mizanekristos (born June 3, 1983) is an American singer and songwriter. She made her debut in the music industry with the release of her 2013 mixtape Cut 4 Me. In 2015, she released Hallucinogen, an EP which deals with the beginning, middle, and end of a relationship in reverse chronological order. Her debut studio album, Take Me Apart, was released in 2017 to critical acclaim. About to be a queer Queer is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or are not cisgender. Originally meaning "strange" or "peculiar", queer came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the late 1980s, queer activists, such as the members of Queer Nation, began to reclaim the word as a deliberately provocative and politically radical alternative to the more assimilationist branches of the LGBT community.
Not my bag, but the production is really good. I'm not sure what makes this an album you must listen to - its no different than any of the same genre specific album that's currently available.
R and B isn't a genre I always enjoy, but this was nice.
Tranquilo y pausado. Buena voz femenina. Relajante.
Not my style but clean sound.
modern r&b but kinda a weird add not very notable
Bit spacy, didn't make a huge impression, but thought quite nice.
It's ok. Musically it's at least sort of interesting but it's still stylistically not my thing in terms of R&B.
Ouais pourquoi pas
For me, R&B is about the voice and Kelela's didn't stand out to me. I don't dislike it, it just feels kind of generic. 3/5 stars
-"LMK" is pretty catchy -Generally pleasant but not really my style. Nothing in particular made it stand out
Cool fusion of r&b and electronica - all futuristic sounds and soulful vocals - and the production is excellent throughout. Whether there’s enough here to warrant classic status is unclear.
Very melancholy, not really my style
Gaiter Burger in the House! Great voice, but didn't stick with me. Was completely forgettable. Maybe this grows after a couple listens, but I could barely make it though one without the desire to go mow my lawn.
On first listen I thought there was more electronica and this was an impressive fusion bringing a more modern approach to R&B. I went back through the first half again and most actually felt more like typical R&B than I first thought. Maybe I wasn't paying close attention the first time and just believed what Wikipedia said about the style? Overall Kelala's "Take Me Apart" is both chill and passionate, and even the less adventurous tracks are enjoyable. The title track, however, is awesome, and is the best example of the electronic fusion.
This blend of R&B with electronica is a great concept. The execution is a bit off though. Too often it feels like the music is like a blanket shielding Kelela from the listener. I feel like she is muffled at times, and I don’t like it.
The arrangements are as conventional, predictable, abused and traditional as possible, as proven by the singles LMK and Frontline. It's really well produced and pleasant to listen to, but a 1001? (5/10) FT: Blue Light, LMK
Pop comercial. Ni fu ni fa.
Bah, normal. Agradable. Electro-R&Balternative R&Belectronica. Un 3
pas mon style le rnb
Not too bad for me, tho no sparks.
Good chill party music
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Waitin, Take Me Apart, LMK, Truth Or Dare, Onanon Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Took me an embarrassingly long time for me to realize these were songs about sex and desire but once that clicked I saw the vision #whowantme
6/10
I skipped over this when it came out because Kelela featured on one of the few mediocre tracks on Danny Brown's Atrocity Exhibition (an album that should really be on the list), but this is starting out extremely strong - and I'm not a fan of R&B in general. Interestingly, this album is not in my version of the book, which is the most recent update, so I have to assume it was cut despite only being four years old. I would think the editor would cull older albums, many of which are redundant or dated instead of cycling through new additions. Seriously, we don't need the full Byrds discography, especially at the expense of pivotal newer albums. Music is a living organism, constantly evolving, and the list has a terrible track record when it comes to 21st century releases, omitting important releases from Swans, Death Grips, Run the Jewels, Danny Brown, Sophie, Mastodon, and, well, basically anything remotely heavy. I don't think there's any metal on this list after nu-metal collapsed in on itself. Hell, it looks like they cut Fever Ray's self-titled too, and that is one of the best albums of the 21st century. This list is atrocious. Goddam embarrassing.
Kelela was not known to me before today. I assumed the album must be something that was either bigger in the UK (which it wasn't) or a surprise hidden gem. A quick wiki suggests that it had a lot of critical buzz in 2017, which I guess I somehow missed? Anyway, I put this album on while doing some work and then suddenly it was over. I have essentially no recollection of any of the songs, other than a generally pleasing R&B sound. Given that I tend to enjoy this style of music, I will try to go back at some point and give it a more contemplative listen.
Bah, normal. Agradable. Electro-R&Balternative R&Belectronica. Un 3
Fällt nicht negativ auf
Ikke helt min stil men god produktion
Why though? R&B with electronic influences? Okay I get that…but in 2017? That’s not very innovative. Never heard of Kelela, don’t think I needed to.
Ei mun juttu! Kuuntelin junassa ko tein töitä ja toivoin useamman kerran että voisin vaihtaa johonki muuhun lol. Kaikki biisit kuulosti samalta. Vähän honk shoo mutta ei 1/5 koska uskon että pahempaakin on eessä
Jotenki tää jäi vähän vaisuksi
ei aivan napannut kyllä itsellä, vaikka oli tosi kaunis ääni ja aivan hyvä fiilis..!! tuli vain mieli kuunnella solangea
2,1/5
no ma gustao
so mid
mja. helaas vond ik er niet zoveel aan
Run of the mill R&B but it’s still super sexy. If only I had a girl 🤓
I had never heard of Kelela or any of the songs on this album. I've learned over the course of listening to over 150 of these albums now, that it's really hard to rate a lot of them when you just aren't super familiar with the artist or the genre. That's the case here. I also make sure I did a little research on every album, because there have been a lot of times where even though I didn't really personally think the album was that great, for various reasons the album belongs on this list. In this case, I'm struggling to understand how this one made the list. The album is not bad. She actually has a really pretty voice and the music is pleasant to listen to. I think the music is WAY overproduced, which I'm not a fan of, but that doesn't make it bad. I'm just can't see what separates this out from other R&B albums. In fact, if I compare this to Janet Jackson, TLC, Alicia Keyes, or a whole slew of others, this album sounds mediocre to my ears compared with those others. Fine to listen to, but very forgettable.
Fine.
Honestly an amazing contender for the most boring album of all time! The production is SO lame, and every song sounds exactly the same. Not unpleasant on the ears, but damn.
Not to victim blame or anything but this was a lot of repeatedly saying you'd leave or call someone's bluff and then obviously not following through on stated limits and if you do that people learn they can walk all over you. Also, weirdly sexual listen for a day I spent cleaning.
Expected much more after reading about the album on Wikipedia. This is simply modern pop music without any special moments.
She has a pleasing voice, but isn't this just The Weeknd lite. What makes this innovative in 2017? I really dislike the production on most of these songs, the drum beats sound so mechanical and lifeless. I can't stand a depressing feeling R&B songs, which most of these felt like. There are a couple decent tracks, like Enough, that I will add to a streaming playlist but most of this is forgettable background noise.
Ho HUUUUMMM boring nothing new or even remotely interesting and baffling that this album is on the list. 1,5
Was sort of on board with the first track, its a stripped back slightly odd take on r and b, maybe a bit Frank Oceany. Like with other consistently sparse albums, they end up beating this approach to death and Id had enough by the third track There was another sting towards the end I didn't mind but I think it was because it has an actual drum beat and in reality was probably still pretty rubbish. I think I'd rather hear this than some other stuff as it is a bit different but it's not good. 1.5.
easy listening but very blah, nothing really stood out
Pleasant enough for background music
a couple of passable songs, but other than that, it felt copy/pasted
Ok but not really great
Enjoyed the blend of rnb with electronic music, first half was stronger in my opinion. Think if id heard any of the songs individually out n about I’d think its great but the longer it went on the more repetitive it felt, the songs are quite same-y and found myself wanting to skip songs towards the end
It sounds well produced, and she has a nice voice, but I couldn’t really connect to any of them until.
sounded pleasant and I enjoyed the lyrics as I tried to engage with this run of the mill rnb Nice sounding if forgettable . Trying to work out what it delivers to warrant inclusion
Vocals are pleasant enough, but it's very one note throughout. I didn't enjoy the production at all. Sounds like PS2 menu music club mix.
Why does modern R&B have to be so soulless? There's just something about it that's overproduced. There's no warmth. It's just dry and bland and this is no different. The songs all blend together. This is no different. Ready to fall asleep by song 7, made it all the way through though. Proud of myself for that one.
Well produced, with a lot of polish. Beautiful vocals. And it just didn’t connect for me.
I'm sure there are folks out there that appreciate this, but I'm not one of them.
not liking it at all. pure noise. i will give it a 2 because they did try. why did people on pitchfork say it was good?
Davvero noioso
gross
Nice sound, as a whole album kinda sounds the same, I love the vibeee though
Not my thing at all. I didn’t actively hate it is the only real feedback I can give. It did make me wonder about Alanis. Have I been unfair to Alanis?
Nicht meine Tasse Tee, zu weinerlich und langweilig.
Objectively I’m sure it’s a good album, but subjectively I wasn’t grabbed by it at all, zoned out from most of it and didn’t enjoy it.
This is a well produced R&B album. Whilst not an extraordinary record, ot remains quite the enjoyable listen. 7/10 [KEEP]
Nice voice, but the album is WAY overproduced. And the songs don’t really land for me. 2.5?
I have no idea why this R&B album is on this list. It's not bad. There just isn't anything interesting about it. Same songs with over-produced some sounds.
She can sing but sounds way over produced. Just could not get into it.
fine as background music
Not for me. Not bad but not in my interest sounded like good musicians playing solid music but disnt really spark my interest enough.
Boring. That album cover though... ooooh la la. Ha!
Futuristic sounds added to sliding scale R&B? No thanks.
How do some things make it to this list of 1001?
a slightly higher tier of mall music
Meh
nope
I really tried to like this album. R&B is not necessarily my thing, so I gave it my best shot. I got nothing.
doesn't do much for me, don't think it's standing the test of time
This list isn’t the greatest thing in the world in the first place, and it doesn’t help that buddy keeps adding to it. There’s just no way to know something is going to hold up for 20 years without seeing whether it holds up for 20 years. This one was nine years ago, and there’s just no way it’ll be an essential album in another decade. It’s fine, I think, but that’s it. Maybe I’m wrong. I don’t know. How many more albums do I have to listen to
The 2010s really had no identy, did they? This is nothingness, barely even background noise. I've no idea who it's for or what sort of music it is. I thought soul had soul, R&B had rhythm and blues. This has nothing! Seriously!
Nice voice, but I cannot figure iut what made this pop for so many people. I found this one repetitive with very little to distinguish one track from another. A clear reminder that taste is subjective.
Nothing about this really appeals to me. I can see how others would enjoy this, but for me this was mostly pretty boring. The production is good, and the album sounds good, but I feel like it doesn’t really go anywhere.
It;'s okay, pretty standard album that just blends together.
what they play in zara
Destiny's (Distant) Cousin
Interesante, me gustaron 2 rolas
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.
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
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.
meh
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.
#notforme vaikka annoin rehdin mahdollisuuden niin ei tää kyllä herättänyt positiiviseen suuntaan oikeastaan mitään
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.
Nothing profound, I could hear this at H&M
Not my thing.
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.
Generic female R&B. Didn't do a thing for me.
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
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
modern R&B is not my thing, nothing sttod out for me
not my cup of tea
Inoffensive which is perhaps the best thing I can say about this album, and the worst.
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
Couldn't finish it, didn't hold much interest for me.
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.
I'm really not a fan 😬 didn't finish
4/10
songs sound the same, pretty generic, nothing atrocious, but nothing remarkable
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.
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.
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.
Didn’t know the artist. Nothing too exciting or interesting here.
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?
If qualudes were an album
Pas mon genre de musique pref
Musique de gwer, on se fait chier
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.
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
Bit of a nothing burger this one
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.
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
2/5 not hugely for me!
"contemporary R&B"... 'nuff said.
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.
this is so boring. also not very interesting for 2017.
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.
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.
that was quite boring
Nice but not much grabbed me
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.
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
Great sounding production, and a cool blend of electro and R&B with a nice voice, but there were no hooks--just vibes.
Bland.
Pretty generic, dull, modern R&B. I don't know why it's on the list.
It's fine. Less would have been more. Absolutely no reason it belongs on this list.
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.
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.
Not a bad album, just not my jam. Highlights: "Truth or Dare" and "Blue Light"
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
A bit too smooth for me. Became totally background and I tuned it out. Blah.
Very slow for me all the way through. I couldn’t find anything that stood out. Kelela can sing very well though.
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.
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.
It just wasn’t for me
Not for me
r&b and electronic music. cool...
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".
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
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.
2.3 1x decent enough but not my style
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.
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 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
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've never listened to this album (54). Not really my vibe.
boring and repetitive, all the songs kinda sounded the same tbh
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.
Great voice, but everything else is pretty generic.
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
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 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*
Long, repetitive, and boring. 2/5
Boring
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.
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
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.
Dull.
Take me to the shops at the Venetian in Vegas.
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
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.
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.
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.
Not my thing but some merit
Not for me this one.
Unique and smooth sound that fails to ignite. Background music.
Non è il mio, posso capire che piaccia ma non capisco perché sta nell'elenco
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. ⭐️⭐️
Meh
2010’s is probably my least favourite decade of music… and this is like stepping into 2010’s pop radio 2/5
Not my kind of music and probably wouldnt listen to it again but somewhat enjoyed it. Songs were hit or miss for me
ethereal. spacey. chill. voice.
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.
RnB south London soul too smooth to my tastes never loved it always associate with Sam c.
Too long, especially for how similar all the songs are.
I liked a few elements in a couple of the songs otherwise I did not care for it.
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.
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
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
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
Fairly average R&B album
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.
Probably fine if you like this but idc.
Zuhause, Heidenheim, Deutschland. Schweinelangweilig.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Some interesting parts, but all felt the same
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sounds like any other generic, over-produced, auto-tuned pop album from the 2000s/2010s
It sounded like this might be more interesting but it just seemed like r&b with a decent singer to me.
Not my jam
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.
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.
Simpele pop
Not a fan of futuristic music, or EDM or R&B. Not my thing.
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
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.
Too one-note to be almost an hour
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.
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.
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.
Just not for me
Meh rnb
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.
Meh
Chilled RnB? Very '000's i thought. Not particularly enjoyable but not bad
rather ordinary
Pony
Futuristic soul. Big on ambience, this is full of lush RnB and glitchy electronic notes that make a deep sombre introspective but also bombastic atmosphere. Emphasis on vibes, feel and groove over hooks. The Björk influence is clear in the moody tension and cold spacey production. Her voice is powerful and expressive, but used more as another textural element than as a pop diva lead. Overlong and samey.
It's not bad, but you don't need to listen to it before you die.
Janet Jackson and Janelle Monet did it better. Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 1/5
Was exicted for something modern, but was quite disappointed actually. Not particularly big fan of R&B, which works against this. But it sounds very ordinary to my, nothing special at all. Most songs were alright, but I wouldn't want to listen to the record again. Felt like something you'd hear at the radio or something. Probably missing the point here, but not my thing at all. Didn't sound bad or anything, just didn't like it.
I usually critique this list that all music from the 2010s is just artist that were active in the 90s. I'm going to add to the statement that it's either that, or something you would see on pitchfork. This album is the latter. I fail to see what is particularly great with this album (except that pitchfork loves RnB), it sounds like a very good album from the 00s or sometimes like a very generic album from the mid 2010s (sounding like Halsey, which “LMK” is the worst offender). That being said it is not all bad. I initially struggled to focus on the album but after multiple attempts I managed to focus. Some songs were even catchy like “Blue Light”. It’s not necessarily a bad album just quite bland.
Modern electro R&B, sometimes very tender, almost ballads, sometimes has grim drum tracks. Not terrible, but not for me 5.2/10
Kelela who? Yet another album that leaves me scratching my head. Is it a good album? I suppose, it wasn't offensive or anything. Should it be on this list of albums you must to hear before you die? I don't think so? My life would be patently the same if I had never listened to this before. 2/5 I guess.
A bit boring.