"Flesh Tone": Kelis' Dance Success
It's a well-known fact that America is picky about dance music
. Outside of a few musical circles, full-on dance is more of a European product, rarely heard on mainstream US radios. The few artists to successfully touch the dance scene are generally pre-established, like Madonna and Kylie Minogue.
Now Kelis is setting out to break in as well. Her new albumFlesh Tonecould easily play at Ministry of Sound in London or an Ibiza nightclub. Though Kelis's husky, soulful vocals still reflect her R&B roots,Flesh Toneis a full-out dance album with elements of techno, house and trance all thrown together to create a nonstop flow. Some tracks also have a tribal, animalistic quality to them. With the overall connectedness of the album, it's hard to not listen to it straight through.
Since her divorce from rapper Nas and the birth of her son Knight, Kelis definitely has a lot to sing about.Flesh Tone is about the love for her son and freedom from her past. It's also about freedom from her previous sound and labelKelis is now signed to the
will.i.am Music Group. Her new sound is definitely beyond mainstream radio, which may be hard to take for many past fans.
The album opens with a song aptly titled "Intro," in which Kelis sings about being drawn into an unhealthy situation, probably referring to her marriage. The synth guitar, key riffs and haunting minor chords give the album a dark introduction, but it's definitely not reflective of the overall feel of the rest of the tracks.
Next, she welcomes us to the "22nd Century" by chanting "We control the dance floor." The track is much more upbeat and driving, and it lets us know that we're now in the future, at least in terms of Kelis's musical direction. Produced by Boys Noize, the song is pretty simple in its lyrics and techno construction.
"4th of July (Fireworks)," the album's second and current single, is definitely a major highlight. Lyrically, it's a simple, feel-good love song that is very dance floor-friendly in the summer. The piano breakdowns emphasize the point of the song: "Nothing I'll ever say or do will be as good as loving you." The song then picks up with techno whirring and pulsating beats throughout.
The song fades into "Home," which keeps the upbeat flow of the album with punching beats and a hard-hitting chorus. It is a heavier trance track than the others, and it would probably do well in a late night club. The brief segue after "Home" sounds like it could be a techno remix of a horror movie theme, with chiming church bells in the background.
The lead single off the album, "Acapella," may be the most complex track of all, and it is also the most standout song. The lyrics are definitely inspired by the birth of Kelis's son and the wholeness she feels. The beat and tempo are reminiscent of tribal drums, and the video has a very tribal vibe as well. Her vocal harmonies are well-showcased in the chorus to give it a symphonic feel. David Guetta's production can probably be thanked for the song's appeal.
The breakdowns and vocal layering during the chorus of "Scream" are almost as good, but the song loses some credit in the spoken verses as it's extremely reminiscent of the breakdown in "Vogue" by Madonna and, more recently, the vocals in "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above" by CSS. Spoken vocals can work, but they break the flow of this particular song.
The chorus of "Emancipate," which is simply a repetition of "emancipate yourself" sung to the tune of synthesizers, gets annoying, but the message of being open to loving again makes it a good anthem for singles on the mend and on the dance floor. The segue afterwards has an odd gothic techno feel similar to Nine Inch Nailsit's off-putting at first, but it would be interesting to hear Kelis take on that genre.
"Brave" is definitely a stab at Nas, making sure that he knows Kelis has moved on and is happier being alone with her son. It is obviously produced by Benny Benassi and is reminiscent of his hit "Satisfaction," but since that is a well-loved dance song, the similarity is welcome. The acoustic guitar breakdown is also a nice touch to really push the sincerity of the chorus.
Equally sincere is the closer, "Song for the Baby," which is dedicated to her son. The song sounds a lot like a Kylie Minogue track, and its chorus, "I love you more than you'll ever know," is a great positive message to end on.
Flesh Tone fits well alongside albums like Madonna'sConfessions on a Dance Floorit has a retro dance feel to many songs but also pushes towards harder, more futuristic beats.
Still, the question remains: can Kelis bring attention to a scene that has long been under-appreciated in the US? Perhaps her shows this summer, when she teams up with Robyn on the All Hearts Tour, will help.
Kelis and Robyn hit New York City on July 28, August 4 and 5 for three sold out shows.Flesh Tone is in stores now.
Visit www.allmediany.com for more music!
"Flesh Tone": Kelis' Dance Success
By: Rose
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