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CRITIC REVIEWS
100
Months from her 40th birthday, Ethiopian-American artist Kelela Mizanekristos has blessed us with a sexy, sultry masterclass in RnB, 10 years on from breaking through with her intrepid debut EP Cut 4 Me.
7mo
94
At its root, Raven is a response to anyone who made the mistake of thinking that Kelela’s hiatus was an ill-omen with regard to her career.
7mo
92
At the heart, it remains itself, making comparison impossible and presenting itself proudly to the world: Black, queer, feminine music, filled with desire, pain, lust and sadness.
7mo
90
Raven sits on its own plinth. Unassociated with any genre past, present or future, it simply exists like a grand Kubrick or Tarkovsky film, where any frame can be paused and in its stillness one can see the complexity of symmetry at play.
7mo
90
Constant if fluid oscillations between diaphanous ballads, pulsing slow jams, and modern street soul bangers are just as suited for the greater number of songs based in relationships.
7mo
84
Kelela’s rapturous second album is a masterful display of tension and release, centering queer Black womanhood through blasts of heated dance music and ambient comedowns.
7mo
80
Raven's unstructured, experimental feel may be unsettling for some, but the project's only other downside is that eventually, it ends.
7mo
80
The most satisfying moments on Raven are when it seemingly takes place in an erotic bedroom escapade. Kelela continues to use her smooth vocals but pairs them with slow and patient builds up of creaking nocturnal electronica (‘Fooley’), 80s drum machine (‘Let It Go’) and warping bass (‘Holier’).
7mo
80
In an era where Black women are reclaiming their space in dance music ... Kelela arrives just in time with a long-awaited reminder she’s electronic music’s supreme.
7mo
80
No matter the tempo or setting, though, Raven is fully aware of how the body can both entrap and liberate. It’s an innovative use of music as a vessel to capture both.
7mo
80
Don’t listen to ‘Raven’ expecting immediacy. Instead see ‘Raven’ as a point of discovery, fostering dialogue on and beyond the dancefloor; an open expanse and a surround sound experience for the marginalised seeking thrills beyond the white gaze.
7mo
80
As a songwriter, the New York-based artist’s practice is a conduit for intimacy, manifested through her airy, late-night R&B experiments and the confessional nature of her lyrics.
7mo
80
Nearly five-and-a-half years on from her debut, the Washington D.C.-born artist makes a frequently breathtaking return.
7mo
80
A soundtrack for melancholic late-night drives through buzzing cities.
7mo
80
On Raven, the follow-up to 2017's Take Me Apart, Kelela explores autonomy, belonging, and self-renewal as healing.
7mo
80
Similarly to Beyoncé’s Renaissance, Raven celebrates the dance floor as a space of black and queer art.
7mo
80
Her voice – wounded yet sweet and soulful, at times blown out with echo – is the irresistible focus of every song, whether it’s the Balearic beats and heat-haze melody of “Contact” or the title track, with its two-step drive and dark, anguished yearning.
8mo
80
The US singer’s long-awaited second album embraces the Black female experience with a mix of drum’n’bass and sensuous, unfurling soundscapes.
7mo
79
Aching yet soothing, Kelela’s Raven is an ambient dance, R&B experience that seeks to help ground herself in her art and identity.
7mo
70
Raven doesn’t feature much of the volcanic beats and unadulterated longing of its predecessor, but its minimalistic approach showcases an artist in the midst of her evolution.
7mo
70
Sex and relationships have been a thematic mainstay for Kelela, but she understands the nuance required to make lyrics ring true, and hot. Fifteen tracks (albeit relentlessly sexy) are probably a couple too many, but you won’t hear any complaints from Kelela’s ravenous fans.
7mo
60
Returning from a five-year hiatus, Kelela’s Raven isn’t an explosive comeback for the alternative R&B singer but a downtempo reflection.
7mo
60
Kelela paints herself into a corner relatively quickly on the somewhat immersive Raven.
7mo
60
Still, the best tracks are those that harness the style with which she made her name – the likes of Happy Ending, Contact and Bruises contrasting the emotional warmth of Kelela's yearning voice with the invigorating chill of digital breakbeats.
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6mo
What can I say here... I'm speechless!
Kelela's sophomore album comes 6 years after the release of the critically acclaimed 2017 record Take Me Apart.
During a press release, Kelela stated how this album began as "a reaction to feeling alone as a black femme working within dance music".
Raven sees the American singer fully embracing the best aspects of her dance music roots from her predecessor and delivers a more evolved, sensual 62min record that defines her as one of the finest ... read more
Fantastic
Many RnB albums I listened to recently are all style no substance. Not lyrically, but rather they will do everything under the sun except for actually catching your ear. Kelela’s Raven is a no bullshit experience. Great singing, great instrumentals, and a strong vibe uninterrupted. It’s one of the better listens of the year so far.
kelela takes us for a deep dive through watery, smooth instrumentals that at times can feel a bit overwhelming.
"Raven" is pretty interesting. I dig the minimalist vibe, even with all these production elements going on, creating a cool atmosphere. However, the album keeps going down this path that got a bit repetitive with those downtempo/ambient pop beats. When the album ended, it left a good impression, but I wouldn't come back for this journey.
Consistent R&B album. Maybe it isn't nothing that we haven't heard before but it's consistency did it for me. Beautiful vocals and high quality production equals a successful album.
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Track List
| 1 | Washed Away 3:36 | 82 |
| 2 | Happy Ending 4:08 | 88 |
| 3 | Let It Go 4:22 | 82 |
| 4 | On the Run 4:52 | 83 |
| 5 | Missed Call 3:51 | 81 |
| 6 | Closure 3:29 with Rahrah Gabor | 81 |
| 7 | Contact 4:00 | 88 |
| 8 | Fooley 3:34 | 79 |
| 9 | Holier 4:14 | 76 |
| 10 | Raven 4:36 | 88 |
| 11 | Bruises 4:15 | 85 |
| 12 | Sorbet 5:29 | 82 |
| 13 | Divorce 3:21 | 78 |
| 14 | Enough for Love 4:25 | 84 |
| 15 | Far Away 4:21 | 82 |
Total Length: 1 hour, 2 minutes
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Added on: November 15, 2022