Review: KALI UCHIS - "Orquídeas"

It was time for Kali Uchis to release a new album in Spanish. “Orquídeas” is the realization of this idea which arrives simultaneously with the announcement of her pregnancy, made in a video with her long-time partner Don Toliver.

“Orquídeas”, the title of the album, takes on a double meaning for the Colombian artist: a value linked to her country of origin because the orchid is the national flower of Colombia and because in its symbolism it represents timeless charm, mysterious, mystical, suggestive, precisely the essence of Kali.

Kali is a revolutionary artist in her own way. In just a few years she has managed to reach the peak of popularity.
Born and raised between America and Colombia, she perfectly embodies a sound style rich in contemporaneity and tradition, just listen to her hit Te Mata, a classic bolero which is the perfect example of the ability to make sounds that come from the past current and fill them with lyrics that tell of revenge, infatuation and pain.

“Orquídeas” is the Spanish counterpart of his previous English album “Red Moon in Venus”, two twin albums, different but made at the same time.
Almost as if he wanted to create a common thread between the two elements to create a continuous stylistic and musical dialogue.

Kali creates two faces in the album. The first is more urban, soulful, soft, sensual and almost purple on a chromatic level, the second is more festive, dancing where she stages her vision of refined reggaeton. But on both sides the common element is always a strong reference to the tradition and sounds of her homeland.

In terms of lyrics, Kali tells stories of women, seduction and anguish, fantasies and dreams in which women can be as bad as they are tender.

The album was preceded by singles Muñekita,” featuring El Alfa and JT of City Girls, Te Mata and from Labios Mordidos in collaboration with my friend and colleague (also of Colombian origin) Karol G.

In the end you find yourself having listened to a rare “orchid” with intense colors and a surprising flavour!

QUOTES

“I say que a mí me vale cero/Pero tampoco soy hecha de hielo” (“I say I don’t care at all/But I’m not even made of ice”)

TRACK BY TRACK SCORE: Rating 7.00

1. How is this? – Rating 8.00
2. Me Pongo Loca – Rating 7.00
3. Igual Que un Ángel with Peso Pluma – Rating 7.00
4. Intrusive Thoughts – Rating 7.00
5. Diosa – Rating 7.50
6. Te Mata – Rating 8.00
7. Perdiste – Rating 7.00
8. Young Rich & In Love – Rating 7.00
9. Tu Corazón es Mío – Rating 7.00
10. Muñekita with El Alfa and JT – Rating 6.50
11. Labios Mordidos with Karol G – Rating 6.50
12. No Hay Ley Part 2 with Rauw Alejandro – Rating 7.00
13. Heladito – Rating 7.00
14. Dame Beso/Muévete Rating 6.50

THE VOTES OF OTHERS

The New York Times – Rating 9.00
Pitchfork – Rating 8.40
The Guardian: Rating 8.00
Rolling Stone (US) – Rating 8.00
Clash – Rating 8.00
Nme – Rating 8.00