ALBUM REVIEW: Kali Uchis - Red Moon in Venus

    Kali Uchis is certainly not an unknown R&B singer, and I was vaguely familiar with her prior to this new studio release - I first heard her on Tyler, The Creator's excellent "See You Again" song from his pivotal Flower Boy album, although my praise for him is not the focus here. Even on that track, Uchis' silky smooth voice was apparent, so the idea of a full studio album from her was plenty enticing when I saw this release show up on my radar. Going into this album, I had some heightened expectations from Uchis considering some of her previous work that I had familiarized myself with, and yet I still found myself thoroughly impressed by the smoothness of Red Moon in Venus. Not dissimilar from albums like Kelela's Raven in both atmosphere or themes, Uchis' new album is a raw expression of love, heartbreak, and desire throughout its lush 40 minutes. While maybe not quite as ambitious as some other releases I've heard this year, that doesn't at all hold back Red Moon in Venus from being a heavy-hitter.

    Kali Uchis is more than just an R&B artist, of course, and on Red Moon in Venus she takes from numerous genres to get her artistic visions across. While her takes on neo-soul, psychedelic soul, and funk aren't particularly groundbreaking to my ears, that doesn't make Uchis' execution any less special or flawed, especially when it is done as cleanly and confidently as on this album. Even still, most of the album sounds fairly contemporary, with only the occasional left-field moment from Uchis, particularly with the funk-leaning moments, which also probably stand as my favorite moments on the album - the synth-leaning "Endlessly" is backed with a killer hook and smooth instrumentation, as is the penultimate "Moonlight", which easily the most musically filling moment on the album for me - an easy standout, no doubt. Don't be mistaken, though, as from the clean modernism of "Worth the Wait" to the slight murkiness of "Moral Conscience", there's something to enjoy with nearly every aspect of the album sonically.

    It doesn't just hold up musically - Kali Uchis' performances and stylistic cohesion carries the album through and through as an artistic statement. While the ideas of love and desire certainly aren't new for this year (it was just last month that we got Caroline Polachek's great Desire, I Want to Turn Into You album), Uchis' take on it is much less focused on lust and aims more for longing. Opening track "I Wish You Roses" is immediately evocative of these themes with its casting off memories of former love. Even still, other songs showcase some more hedonistic themes, such as the jealousy of "All Mine", where Uchis describes herself as the best thing in her partner's life. Even still, compared to the sometimes open sexuality of other albums, there's a subdued quality to Red Moon in Venus on songs like "Como Te Quiero Yo" with the acknowledgement of the imperfection of love and how those very shortcomings make love complete. There's even elements of darkness within the album, such as the losing of love on "Blue", one of the album's emotional apexes. It all culminates in what is an incredibly cohesive project.

    Uchis' third studio album is a hallmark of artistic maturity and a brilliant blending of style and substance. Filled with tasteful instrumentation and variety throughout its running time and backed with a simple but well-executed theme from start to finish, Uchis certainly doesn't disappoint with the contents of this album. While I think an album like Raven is far more explorative and cohesive conceptually, that doesn't necessarily make Red Moon in Venus weaker - if anything, it's sharpened to a brilliant point with its immaculate sheen and laid-back feel. It's a great release in what's proving to be an exciting year for new releases so far.

RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

Listen to Red Moon in Venus.