Kali Uchis - Isolation (2018)

‘Isolation’ is Kali Uchis’s debut album and features an impressive cast of featured artists and collaborators. Jorja Smith, Damon Albarn, Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, Tyler, The Creator, Bootsy Collins, Steve Lacy, Two Inch Punch, BADBADNOTGOOD, Thundercat all appear on the American Colombian’s debut LP.

Bookended by the airy, flute-laced ‘Body Language’, produced by Thundercat, and the immaculately orchestrated soul of ‘Killer’, recorded with The Dap-Kings in New York, it turns through R&B, on the stuttering beats and skanking guitar of ‘Miami’, punctuated by a spot from BIA, by way of popping funk on ‘Just A Stranger’, made with her previous collaborator, Steve Lacy. There’s the metronomic electro-pop tick of ‘In My Dreams’, recorded with Damon Albarn, reciprocating the two appearances Uchis made on their recent record and Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker lines ‘Tomorrow’ with a disco strut and melancholic synths. The mainstay influences of golden-era soul remain strong as well, here recalibrated to bemoan infidelity on ‘Fool’ and rail against corporate vampires on ‘Teeth In My Neck’.

The album also includes ‘After The Storm’ featuring Tyler, The Creator and Bootsy Collins, which ascended to the top of Spotify Viral charts across the globe, “Nuestro Planeta” featuring Reykon and “Tyrant” featuring Jorja Smith.