Kelela.
Neva Wireko / via publicist
Kelela says her new album new avatar will be out on July 10. It's the singer-songwriter's third album on Warp Records and her fifth full-length project (remix and live albums not withstanding). The announcement follows lead single "idea 1" and last Friday's "linknb." Here's what we know about the album so far.
Kelela is exploring a more rock-inspired sound
Singles "idea 1" and "linknb" are guitar-driven tracks that seem to break new ground for the D.C.-raised, NYC-based singer-songwriter. Those songs were both produced by Oscar Scheller, who told The FADER in a recent interview that Kelela already had the inspiration for the cross-genre sound when they started working together.
"She bridges the gap between those spaces that haven’t been explored and I love doing that too. I love [genre] intersections and remix culture, putting two things together that maybe wouldn’t typically go together," Scheller told The FADER. "We listened to Incubus and Morning View [...] We were just exploring where it could go in this very open way."
Kelela says new avatar is about the state of the world
In a press release, Kelela said that new avatar, "finds solace in confronting [...] I don't want the music to be a distraction from what's really going on in the world; I want it to make sense in this crazy moment."
“People also need to know that my friends and I are laughing constantly and that humor isn’t a defense mechanism," she continues. "It’s an expression of how sharp our read is and how clearly we see the world.”
Who will feature on Kelela's next album?
Kelela's next album will tap PinkPantheress, A.K. Paul, and Fousheé for collaborations. While we don't have the full production credits yet, it seems obvious that Scheller will be behind the boards on a number of songs.
Check out the full tracklist below.
Still from "idea 1" video (dir. 91 Rules) / via publicist
See the full tracklist for new avatar by Kelela:
1. idea 1
2. point blank
3. goin down
4. outta time (feat. A. K. Paul)
5. against me
6. crystalize
7. retaliation lullaby
8. linknb
9. don’t piss me off
10. new life forms (feat. Fousheé)
11. the bridge (feat. PinkPantheress)
12. if we meet again
