Take Me Apart
by Kelela
  • Record Label: Warp
  • Release Date: Oct 6, 2017
Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
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  1. Mixmag
    Nov 7, 2017
    90
    Bursts with textured atmospheres and danceable beats, all led by the unwavering might of Kelela’s lungs.
  2. AllMusic
    Oct 19, 2017
    90
    Nothing is as volcanic as "Bank Head" or as rush-inducing as "Rewind"--two past gems--but these hyperballads and zero-gravity jams always stimulate, covering a broader spectrum of emotional states with deeper resonance.
  3. The 405
    Oct 11, 2017
    90
    Take Me Apart doesn't feel desperate to reach for anything, it is comfortable, prepared for whatever may come, much like its bearer. Greatness hasn't sounded this natural in this arena for some time. This is everything.
  5. Exclaim
    Oct 5, 2017
    90
    Take Me Apart is a subtle, sexy LP from a woman who knows what she wants, and clearly aims to write anthems for fans feeling the same way.
  6. Resident Advisor
    Oct 11, 2017
    88
    Patience for Take Me Apart validates her audience who saw her as the future from the start. You won't soon break free of it.
  7. Pitchfork
    Oct 6, 2017
    86
    What makes Take Me Apart so stunning is its meticulous attention to detail, with new layers revealing themselves on the third or 37th listen. Its sonorous breadth is mesmerizing.
  8. Consequence
    Oct 6, 2017
    83
    Putting aside all of the work Kelela has done to hit her stride in the mix, she is ironically most brilliant when the producers lay out.
  9. Los Angeles Times
    Oct 26, 2017
    80
    Like kindred spirit Dawn Richard, Kelela veers from the requirements of mainstream R&B to explore her own course, and the result is a portent on the genre’s future.
  10. Q Magazine
    Oct 24, 2017
    80
    An album rich in swirling emotions, backed by inspired productions from electronica virtuosos Arca and London-based Jam City. [Dec 2017, p.106]
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  11. The Line of Best Fit
    Oct 16, 2017
    80
    It’s this invitation into her most confidential thoughts that makes the album equal parts sensual as it is unflinchingly confident, and it’s the ability to inhabit so many subtleties of the emotional turmoil of relationships that makes Take Me Apart such a memorable album.
  12. The Wire
    Oct 11, 2017
    80
    The detail and artistry of Take Me Apart more than justify the wait. [Oct 2017, p.56]
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  13. Clash Music
    Oct 9, 2017
    80
    Kelela treads new ground unlike anything in music today--cavernous, avant-garde R&B that moves the body and heals the broken heart.
  14. PopMatters
    Oct 9, 2017
    80
    Take Me Apart is genuinely an album without low points, striking a balance between the allure of mainstream pop and the inventiveness of its fringes.
  15. The Observer (UK)
    Oct 9, 2017
    80
    These are unanchored R&B songs for unmoored times, with Kelela’s alluring vocals holding fast, front and centre.
  16. Spin
    Oct 6, 2017
    80
    Kelela proudly stands within the genre’s tradition. For the most part, she avoids making any grandstanding romantic or political statements, but Take Me Apart finds its purpose within the subdued complexities.
  17. New Musical Express (NME)
    Oct 6, 2017
    80
    Kelela has crafted a cool and sensual album which feels cohesive without slipping into saminess.
  18. The New York Times
    Oct 5, 2017
    80
    The songs are intricately plotted to give the illusion of being impulsive and obsessive, buffeted by shifting emotions: by turns sensual and wary, vulnerable and guarded, leisurely and urgent.
  19. The Guardian
    Oct 5, 2017
    80
    Kelela’s vocal stops Take Me Apart ending up as a fragmented series of sounds: consistently exquisite as it dances between lovesick confusion and shrewd sensuality.
  20. The Skinny
    Oct 5, 2017
    80
    Take Me Apart may not appear as immediately interesting and unique as her previous work but there are layers upon layers of elements to be explored, digested and, ironically enough, taken apart.
  21. The A.V. Club
    Oct 6, 2017
    75
    There’s another EP in here that’s every bit as good as Hallucinogen, but as an album, Take Me Apart remains more proof of Kelela’s talent and still-unrealized potential.
  22. Rolling Stone
    Oct 6, 2017
    70
    Her debut full-length fuses together jagged textures, vaporous synths and her versatile voice into forward-thinking R&B animated by its restless innovation.
  23. Tiny Mix Tapes
    Oct 10, 2017
    60
    For the most part, Take Me Apart is sonically more akin to a soundtrack, one for neon-tinged late-night driving. Or for bedrooms with ceiling mirrors--those slippery reflections.
  24. DIY Magazine
    Oct 6, 2017
    60
    On the likes of ‘Enough,’ the layers of electronica and muffled beats become oddly oppressive, competing against her--and winning the battle. It’s in moments like this where Take Me Apart proves to be frustrating. When it’s at its best though, it’s an album that invites the listener to do just what its title invites.

Awards & Rankings

60
#60 Best Album of 2017
73
#73 Most Discussed Album of 2017

User Reviews

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User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 162 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 138 out of 162
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 162
  3. Negative: 13 out of 162
  1. navyofbadgals
    Oct 6, 2017
    10
    OMG we love talent, don't we. Kelela is TALENT on this album, with a cohesive and magnificent body of work, that will be remembered for itsOMG we love talent, don't we. Kelela is TALENT on this album, with a cohesive and magnificent body of work, that will be remembered for its quality. Legends only whew… Full Review »
  2. aleppo
    Oct 7, 2017
    9
    Damn, Kelela. This is her third major release, and she continues to impress and improve with each output. On 'Take Me Apart,' the singerDamn, Kelela. This is her third major release, and she continues to impress and improve with each output. On 'Take Me Apart,' the singer manages to construct a cohesive body of work that simultaneously refines and expands her signature sound. The album's flow is all the more impressive considering the multitude of producers she appointed to create this record. Kelela's 'Take Me Apart' is not only defined by its sonic innovation, but also the emotional nuance depicted by the lyrics. Whether expressing a desire for something casual, enticing her partner to explore her, or lamenting a relationship's inevitable end, Kelela communicates her thoughts and feelings about a circumstance with an intricacy matched by few in today's pop music. And let's not forget her silky smooth vocals, which are key in conveying the complexities this album explores. For me, the only questionable moves the record makes are found in the meandering, somewhat half-hearted production on 'Turn To Dust' and 'Altadena's' piano-ballad ending. However, these are comparatively minute mistakes on a dynamic and exploratory collection of songs that ought to contend for recognition as one of 2017's best.

    Highlights include 'Frontline,' 'Enough,' and 'Truth or Dare'.    … Full Review »
  3. DavidWasHere
    Oct 6, 2017
    8
    This was a fun album! Kelela has a great voice that while not showy, is subtle and does slide into all the addictive electro-R&B grooves andThis was a fun album! Kelela has a great voice that while not showy, is subtle and does slide into all the addictive electro-R&B grooves and tunes here. The production is lively, energetic, and sensual with slow tracks like Better. The only downsize is that there isn't anything all that new when it comes with R&B, especially contemporary alt-R&B, but Kelela's debut does have a lot of character here that it does stand out. Plus it is a fun album and does manage to go down smoothly with a run time of almost an hour without feeling it's length.… Full Review »
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