It’s been ten years since Kelela’s debut mixtape, Cut 4 Me, earned rave reviews She’s since produced a semi-regular output, with her first proper LP, 2017’s outstanding Take Me Apart, garnering acclaim for its futuristic, electro-tinged R&B, as well as Kelela’s powerful, emotionally affecting vocals. On Raven, the second-generation Ethiopian-American continues her genre-bending approach: opener “Washed Away” is a moody, nocturnal piece which was, somewhat surprisingly, chosen as the surprise first single after a sustained radio silence.
Published as part of InRO Weekly — Volume 1, Issue 8.
