8/10

Since she first appeared more than a year ago, it was always clear that Kelela was more than just your run-of-the-mill RnB singer. Bringing in a huge wealth of interesting producers such as Bok Bok, Jam City, and Arca to produce tracks for her debut album, 'Take Me Apart' stands as not only a diverse collection of work but one of the most progressive RnB releases we have heard in this ever-evolving post-modern scene.

Much like other artists in her field such as Ibeyi and fka Twigs, Kelela's sound is happily skirting the commercial sound of RnB with an eclectic and rule-breaking approach to its delivery. Mixing elements of trap hip-hop with the occasional throwback to the 80s groove sound most associated with Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston, 'Take Me Apart' has this real juxtaposition of old meeting new. While its production is always contemporary, there is no denying the retro influences within each of the tracks.

As far as this forward-thinking RnB genre has gone so far, Kelela's contribution to it manages to remain fresh and eclectic. With a cohesive and succinct direction, this new record is further proof that this scene still has many surprises left to unleash.