Leave it to R&B-and-Pop-Appeal-Feel songstress Kali Uchis to turn our lives into one of those cool ass, slow motion, floating-down-the-sidewalk sequences. Yes, the retro-futuristic vibes of “After the Storm”, her latest release featuring Tyler, the Creator and Bootsy Collins, transports us into our very own Spike Lee-ish joint.
This solful nod to the grooves of funkier eras is theme music for everyone out here just trying to survive living. Life won’t let you be great? Kali’s vocals are like honey poured real slow when she purrs, “If you need a hero, just look in the mirror.” The sentiment sticks and more inspiring lyrics just like it cover you as the track’s smooth ushers listeners down their very own yellow-brick roads.
Kali Uchis’ seduction will have you believing you can achieve all things including how important she is to soul music. “After the Storm” also confirms what we’ve always known: music sounds and feels better when collabos are built on chemistry instead marketing campaigns. This Kali, Tyler and Bootsy thang is luscious.
Our favorite version of him, bad meaning good, Tyler, the Creator’s offering is intentionally cocky and incidentally sexy af. Occasional Andre 3000-esque vibes make his contributions hard not to love. Bootsy slathers just enough psychedelic expertise on the track to make it instant vintage. More please.
This is one of those head-nods that makes you grin and look ’round the room to see if anyone else is being caught up. These kinds of musical voyages are always more fun with company like this. If “After the Storm” is any indication, Kali is about to make sure the future of soulful music is a fantastic one indeed.
Give your senses a treat and check out the saucy visuals by Nadia Lee Cohen featuring an animated Bootsy Collins and Tyler, the Creator seeds Kali’s grows into the lover of her dreams. A Technicolor mash-up of I Love Lucy and bodega swag, the short film is kitschy-cool you’ll want to enjoy on a daily basis.
– Nobi De Lon

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