Calliope Music Review of the Week
Kali Uchis - Red Moon In Venus
Columbian-American RnB Star, Kali Uchis Seduces with Slow, Sentiment, and Sparkling Neo-Soul Romance Tunes.
Soft bass grooves, tepid drums, and warm background effects pave the way for Uchis' wispy, but confident vocals. Themes of love, loyalty, and self-assurance add to a toasty atmosphere, made increasingly intimate with English and Spanish lyrics. Pristine production and a sensual climate are enjoyable, but uninventive songwriting and leisurely progressions are unsatisfying on repeat listens.
The third studio album for contemporary RnB artist, Kali Uchis is a straightforward campaign for true love, whether it's letting go of those closest, or continuously pulling them closer and closer.
Sonically, Uchis avoids risk with simple pop progressions laced in the reverberated warmth of RnB and Neo-Soul instrumentation. Shiny cymbals and gentle drums support smooth grooves and damp bass. Uchis shines with her powerfully seductive voice, creating an open, but cozy sound space. Although the instruments and vocal production sound incredible, there is a general lack of uniqueness and new sounds to hold on to.
The main theme of this album is of course love and how love can be used in different ways to free oneself mentally and physically. The second track, 'I Wish You Roses,' exemplifies love as a means of letting go and moving on, using the symbolism of roses as parting gifts, made from love, not hate. A large part of this 43 minute LP deals with balancing love with other ambitions and doing what's right for oneself and their partner. The tracks, 'Worth the Wait,' 'Fantasy,' Como Te Quiero Yo,' 'Endlessly,' and 'Blue' all discuss ways in which Uchis balances genuine love, depicting a more realistic perspective of attraction and the cautious ambition it takes to entangle ones' life into another.
Kali also airs her extreme confidence and focus on faithfulness in more braggadocios and self-appreciative ways on tracks like, 'All Mine,' 'Moral Conscience,' and 'Deserve Me.' Although these themes and topics are important to discuss and Uchis does a great job at introducing them, the album sees a major lull in the development of these lyrics after the second song. More intricate lyricism and expanded elaboration are much needed for more fruitful and satisfying relistens.
In the end, Kali Uchis exerts a strong presence on this provocative Neo-Soul record, but fails to excite in more individual and distinct ways. The album presents a generally smooth experience, sometimes becoming dull, but in a few songs' cases being an alluring RnB encounter.
Best Tracks: I Wish You Roses -- Como Te Quiero Yo -- Moral Conscience -- Deserve Me (with Summer Walker)
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