Take Me Apart

Over all good listen for music that is not my norm.

It's been a long time since I've listened to a contemporary R&B album that I didn't dislike, to be honest. This album feels a lot more intimate and it is helped by the remarkably languid beats and floaty synths throughout the album. With electronica influences from the decades beforehand and here and there a little Prince throwback this is a listen best done while lazying on the couch with your headphones.

Soul. Aburrido.

The production on this album, largely by Jam City and Arca (with Ariel Rechtshaid! which meant I was very likely going to like this album), really shines. So much so that Kelela’s vocals—which are good and add a quality of tenderness to the brash-at-times production—take a backseat to the production. Ultimately, I preferred the Jam City-produced tracks over Arca’s. LMK and Truth or Dare we’re highlights. This album made me want to switch over to Tinashe’s 333, so that’s what I’m listening to now that I’ve finished Take Me Apart. 3/5.

3.5 stars. Creative album that goes beyond the standard R&B genre. Standout is "LMK."

3.9 + Part of a raft of excellent alternative R&B records that have been popping since the aughts. I think Kelela holds up against other acts like FKA Twigs in terms of exciting electronic sonics blended with gorgeous singing. However, similar to FKA Twigs, I find her sound icy, icy cold. Within the genre I gravitate more towards artists like Blood Orange, Sampha, Frank Ocean and SZA. Standouts: "Onanon", "LMK."

Cool, kind of chill vibe.

day 16. woah, a recent one! I'm not at all familiar with Kelela (or really, R&B in general). I found this to be a pleasant listen and the production is solid, but I don't know that it's particularly memorable. Her vocals aren't particularly distinctive. And I started to get a bit bored in the second half with a lot of the songs bleeding together and getting more ambient. but some of the songwriting is pretty good and I like the overall vibe. my faves were Frontline (by a lot), Onanon, LMK also why is Bluff her #1 song? it's 1 min of filler ... I don't get it ... 3/5, it's just alright for me, not running to get back here

I forgot to take notes on this album, but I remember thinking it was good chill background music. I actually listened to it twice to see if anything stood out. I think there was some song I liked more than others, but nothing really jumped out. I think this was a debut album, which is impressive, which might be why it's on a top 1,000 list.

Had this on while working. All the songs kind of blended together, but not in a bad way. Just nice soft pop/hip hop that flows together.

This is not my usual genre of music and honestly I've never heard of it or her (which doesn't surprise me one bit) but the production is fantastic and so Keela's lush voice. The lyrics um, could make me blush

Good but not my style every song is slow

It's slow, rhythmic, with an underlying energy.

Doesn't sound all that special to me. Sure there are some nice bits, but kinda meh.

If top 40s-ish artist thought about going ambient. Could be worse. Production is clean, and it's unique. Not really my jam, but worth a listen simply for it's originality. While the rating may seem like I don't care much for it, I did actually enjoy it quite a lot

Pop comercial. Ni fu ni fa.

Fine, vibey. Easy to work to, but nothing sticky or hummable.

It was nice, and if I was a 20 year old looking to get laid I'd put this album on.

Best Song: Enough. Beautifully layered vocals. Busy/noisy in a good way. Worst Song: Truth or Dare. A bit too contrived in its sweet/sexy theme. Overall: Nice, chill background R&B, although there's also nothing that really sticks out or feels memorable about it. I could imagine throwing this on in the background for a relaxed vibe, but not for targeted, intentional listening.

Kuuntelin ja ihailin tätä jonkun verran ilmestyessään, mutta ei tästä ihan klassikoksi lopulta ollut. Alussa on pari biisiä, jotka todella toimii edelleen. 3,5/5.

Vähän tälläsen modernin Pitchfork Best New Album-poppiksen ongelma eli ihan hyvä mut vähän tylsä. Ehkä en oo kohdeyleisöä. 3/5.

Ok, not my favourite but a grand listen.

Enjoyed the electronic parts, which kinda outshone the vocals. JUST STOP SINGING. But no, she did not stop singing. Not that it was bad singing, it was just interfering with that sweet, sweet electronica I wanted more of. Slick production, though.

pretty smooth with interesting instrumentals. 3.

You wonder how much the editors really think you must hear this before you die given they removed it from the book immediately after a single edition. I feel ill equipped to rate this album, I've grown to like many examples of genres I previously wrote off in my youth, but modern R&B is one I'm yet to find an example I genuinely like. First two tracks of properly average R&B in, and a glance at the running time and I'm thinking, this could be the first one I'm tapping out of early. That said, the title track is pretty great. So there are ideas here. Ok, it has my attention. Enough is equally interesting. Ok. This is not an R&B album, more a beat-based soundscape with an R&B tinge. Wait. Another bog standard R&B song. The singles here are a disguise. Stop doing this! Either be good or be shite, please pick one. Her new album was just released this week, I wonder if she picked an approach. I guess out of the singles, LMK is at least a little interesting. Ok no, I think this album is just teasing me. There aren't any more of the cool soundscape songs until Turn to Dust, which is again really nice. There's half of a really great album hiding in here for me. The rest is interesting for an R&B album, but that's what it is, and I just don't really go for that.

This was fine. Seemed pretty average to me.

Not my style but beautiful voice.

Weer zo'n plaat waarvan ik niet begrijp waarom ik deze moet horen. Niet zoveel mis mee hoor. Maar een 13 in een dozijn-plaat. Geen missers, geen uitschieters.

Het is net als met de top2000: recente nummers of albums moeten nog maar bewijzen dat ze enige eeuwigheidswaarde bevatten. Het is allemaal best hippe zang op een hippe beat en het luistert op zich prima weg, al wordt het op het eind toe wat pretentieuze eentonige aandachtstrekkerij, maar wat vinden we hier over pakweg 10 of 20 jaar van? Maar afgezien daarvan, het is wel weer iets waar ik nog nooit van had gehoord. Nu dus wel, dankzij de 1001.

Ok

Listens: 1 Enjoyed: it was alright Not really for me but I appreciate it's pretty good. The beats were pretty cool and I'm surprised if never heard of it

Some cool vibes, but nothing special

3.25

R&B with a flavor of glitch and techno. Wish it was a bit more unique, and not sleepy. Would probably slap in a club remix. Melodies are interesting and but sometimes disappointing

Not an unpleasant listen and she can write a tune, but it's too long and quite difficult to focus at times.

Started good, then it got boring

#/5 -

it sounds like something that’s good but just not for me

I was not previously familiar with this artist but I ended up really enjoying this album. It's just f-ing sexy, there's no two bones about it.

Average but bloated pop album, great production though and kelela has a great voice

Pretty good R&B album. Every song felt the same as music in the background

I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. I'm generally not a fan of R&B, but as I listened to this, I realized it must be because I'm burnt out on late 90s/early 2000s R&B. The complete lack of male rappers interjecting with an unnecessary rap verse was refreshing. Coming in at 54 minutes, it did start to drag a bit for me in the last 15 minutes or so. Overall, this album has good vibes and I liked the production.

I almost went with 4 stars but felt it overly generous. Great voice and talent, interesting production and it feels very modern. Not to my tastes and a bit dark and unmemorable though.

The production on the opening track caught my attention, and then again on the title track. There is a lot of original synth chords etc. and overall sound changes, with the dozen or so producers. Onanon is my favourite song, I think. She could have used the occasional rapper to spice it up.

Not bad, just not interesting

The highlight is the dark and harsh production with elements of retro synthwave, which reminds me a lot of a weaker FKA Twigs. The R&B singing style is nice and echoey, which works well with the unique production, and is reminiscent of the R&B style that dominated pop in the 2000s (think Alicia Keys). It's too long and a lot of songs sound too similar, but there are a few standouts, and there tends to be something impressive in the effects that grab my attention in most songs. Favorites: Frontline, Take Me Apart, LMK, S.O.S, Blue Light

Great combination of electronic music and R&B. Back in the 90s, this is what I pictured R&B sounding like in "the future." Pretty strong songwriting, even though this genre is not really my jam.

Chill, slow

Was willing to give a 3 at first but somewhat boring

T3B 1. LMK 2. Onanon 3. Frontline

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

R&B is not really my thing, and this isn't an exception. There's a lot more electronic sounds on this than I'm accustomed to, and sometimes they form a cacophony that's at interesting, but most of the album conforms to R&B's rigid structure. Kelela herself mostly focuses on singing prettily rather than with any emotion or edge. It's not terrible, but it's not for me.

I found it quite boring overall

Quite bland. Another one where you think why is in the list.

I listened to this more than once and damned if I can remember a thing about it. It’s has an antimemetic quality that is nearly unrivalled. I can’t hate it, that I would remember. It just can’t stay in my memory.

Pretty great production/vocals, unfortunately wasn’t in the right kind of environment to enjoy it properly (ideally, my good headphones instead of 1 earbud, no children in the other ear!)

Just kinda found this a little boring… most of the tracks sounded very similar, don’t get the hype on this one 2

Lacked execution, a bit boring. Production wasn’t great, sounded like an early 00s album at times. 4/10

This is a good album, but its just not for me. Good production. I just dont listen to RnB, so the more songs I listen to, the less I like it.

Thoughts before listening: I have heard of Kelela, but I don't know her music. Feels like it'll be some sort of electro-clash, sound collage take on r&b. Definitely something that made a bunch of album of the year lists on sites I follow, but that I ignored cause I figured it wasn't for me. Review: Yeah...not really for me. Also I was wrong with the sound. This isn't really all that out there and definitely isn't "electro-clash". It kind of just sounds like r&b to me. Some songs definitely have harsher sounding bass and beats than others, but it all seems kind of standard to me. Maybe I just don't have an ear for this stuff. I'm sure its a fine album for those into this music, but for me its 2-stars.

Meh - neither liked or disliked

Volkomen vergeetachtige muziek. Het is zeer aangenaam om naar te luisteren, maar na 30 seconden vergeet je weer dat je ernaar aan het luisteren was.

I put it on in the background and completely forgot about it. That’s not a compliment. 2/5

I am unable to relate. But I imagine within the pop (?) genre this is probably pretty good.

nota 4,5/10

Sounded just like every other album in her genre of music, but other artists did it way better.

I think this is where I really feel like an old man. Nothing from 2017 has withstood the test of time to be an album I need to hear before I die. talk to me about adding it to the list when it’s at least 10-20 years old. So is this album the outlier that I really need to hear before I die? Absolutely not. I could have gone my whole life never knowing about Kelela and never been the worse for it. It’s pleasant enough as background music… 2⭐️

I have never heard of this person before. Nothing really stood out or set this apart from any other R&B

A couple of times while listening my ears perked up. I think if I was more into R&B I would have liked this more.

EDM crossed with RnB. Not a particular fan of either genre but listened earlier with an open mind and ear. Very forgettable stuff altogether. Like I only listened this morning, but nothing has stood out, and I couldn't tell you anything about it, good or bad. Can't justify 3 stars as those generally have a few memorable songs. So, 2 stars it is.

Sé que esto va a sonar a machismo o micromachismo, pero no entiendo la necesidad de todas estas cantantes en salir desnudas en la portada de su disco. Algunas canciones tienen muy buen sonido, pero no van más allá en mi apreciación. No podría decir que es un mal disco, pero esta vez se va a 2 estrellas de esas 2,5 que deberáin ser.

This didn't grab me at any point. The cool R&B vibe rarely works for me. There weren't any satisfying beats, and while there is singing, there aren't any memorable melodies. Just not my vibe.

WARP, quand j'ai vu la mention de ce label mythique sur la pochette du premier album de Kelela, mon attention s’est tout de suite décuplée. Moi qui m'attendais à un énième disque de R&B sirupeux, classique, voire trop classique, l'espoir d'une dérive IDM à la Aphex Twin m'a fait hausser un sourcil. Malheureusement, la déception est à la hauteur de l'attente : au final, on est bien sur un album de R&B très, voire trop, classique par moments. Certes, il y a cette patte electro qui fait la différence sur certains morceaux, un petit côté synthétique et glacial qui fait parfois penser à Björk, mais la comparaison s'arrête là. Il faut dire qu'en s'affichant sous la bannière de Warp, Kelela s'imposait un cahier des charges colossal. On parle quand même de la maison de disques qui a sorti les plus grands traumatismes électroniques de ma jeunesse, le genre de structures prêtes à dynamiter la pop pour le simple plaisir de voir les débris flotter dans l'espace. En s'entourant de producteurs issus de cette galaxie comme Arca ou Jam City, elle promettait un R&B mutant, déconstruit, une véritable collision frontale entre la soul futuriste et l'abstraction numérique. Le problème c'est que l'album souffre d'un cruel syndrome de double personnalité. D'un côté, il y a ces textures synthétiques glaciales, ces beats fragmentés qui tentent de bousculer la structure traditionnelle du morceau. De l'autre, on se retrouve face à des mélodies vocales d'une étonnante banalité, calquées sur les standards les plus éculés du genre des années quatre-vingt-dix. La comparaison avec Björk, inévitable dès lors que l'on tente de marier l'organique de la voix aux convulsions des machines, tourne rapidement au vinaigre. Là où l'Islandaise utilisait l'électronique comme un scalpel pour ouvrir son âme et nous la jeter au visage, Kelela s'en sert trop souvent comme d'un simple vernis esthétique, un emballage branché pour masquer un manque flagrant d'inspiration mélodique. Au final, on traverse le disque sans jamais être vraiment bousculé, les morceaux s'enchaînent dans une sorte de torpeur mid-tempo thérapeutique qui finit par anesthésier les tympans les plus aiguisés. Alors oui, les amateurs de R&B contemporain y trouveront sans doute leur compte, louant la modernité des arrangements et la sensualité de l'ensemble. Mais pour moi, Take Me Apart rate sa cible par excès de prudence, préférant le confort d'un genre balisé aux risques de l'inconnu. Une œuvre tiède qui, à force de vouloir plaire à tout le monde, finit par ne remuer personne. Ma note est forcément mitigée. Je ne peux pas décemment lui mettre un 1 sur 5, parce que ce n'est pas une bouse infâme et que le travail de production est propre, mais je ne peux pas non plus lui accorder la moyenne car mon ADN musical n'est tout simplement pas prêt à avaler ce genre de compromis tiède. Au final, ce sera un 2 sur 5 pour l'effort d'avoir poussé la porte du label Warp jusqu'au bureau de la direction, même si le résultat final manque cruellement d'audace et de couilles.

Didn't do anything for me.

I pressed play and 45 minutes went by. I could not tell you about a single thing that I heard in that time. Possibly the least essential album on this entire list.

Didn't hurt nor pleased me in any way. Found it even a tad too boring.

nice voice but overall it was pretty boring

Okay - not really my type of music I find it a little inconsistent. Altadena was nice.

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.

Well produced, ialthough the sub bass grates after a while. Somewhere between slow pop and rap. I found it dull,

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.