Since 2012, Karly-Marina Loaiza alias Kali Uchis has stacked up a collection of "feat.s" to rival the rack of medals across a Soviet general's chest. And so the first album from the Colombian-American, whose voice has featured on tracks by Snoop Dogg, Tyler The Creator, GoldLink, Major Lazer, Kaytranada, Miguel, Vince Staples and Gorillaz was well overdue. Before this release, Kali Uchis had already managed to make plain her strong personality, and her status as another potential new queen of R&B and soul. Wait, another? No, no no. A real queen, single and sovereign, with a voice that mixes neo soul, 90s R&B, early-Madonna-era pop and wit à la Amy Winehouse.
Her voice enjoys a five-star setting on this first album, where such stars as Tyler and Damon Albarn rub shoulders, but also the Canadians of BadBadNotGood, Kevin Parker of Tame Impala, David Sitek of TV On The Radio, live wire Thundercat, soul star Jorja Smith, the Dap-Kings, The Internet's Steve Lacey, his compatriot Reykon and legendary funkster Bootsy Collins.
On Isolation, the Los Angeles-based singer brings her Latin roots to bear by singing in two languages, slaloming between neo soul, R&B, hip-hop, Latin pop and reggaeton. Through languorous sequences and up-tempo pieces, Uchis shines in all contexts, against all backdrops, to create a record of stunning freshness, never gaudy or mawkish.
Kali Uchis and Jorja Smith - Tyrant - Later 25 live at the Royal Albert Hall
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