Review
Walking through the city at midnight, “Take Me Apart” pulses like neon lights reflected off rain-soaked streets. Kelela stitches together the cracked-glass clarity of electronica with the smooth sway of classic R&B, creating something that feels both futuristic and deeply rooted in everyday emotion. She slips effortlessly between genres—one moment letting a drop of jazz soul trickle in, the next, building on glitchy, unpredictable rhythms that jolt you awake like a sudden siren outside your window. Each track comes alive with its own moody atmosphere, carried by top-tier production from Arca, Jam City, Kingdom, and a handful of other forward thinkers.
Underneath these sleek surfaces, Kelela writes about love and vulnerability—she isn’t afraid to unmask all the bruises and awe hiding between desire and heartbreak. When she whispers through the haze on “Take Me Apart” or bursts forth with clarity on “LMK,” you’re reminded of those moments in relationships when you teeter between hope and uncertainty, strung out on the delicate architecture of expectation. With inventive sounds and magnetic songwriting, this album is for city-dwellers navigating both the chaos and magic of human connection. In every note, there’s a sense that losing yourself in love—or in music—might just be the most daring thing of all. - Noah
