In her own words: “A BITCH IS BACK”. Having teased her return earlier this week, Kelela has finally released some new music after years of silence. She’s promised an album is arriving in due course, but for now we have “Washed Away”.
She says: “I love a banger, but for the first point of contact out of my hiatus, it felt more honest to lead with an ambient heart-check.”
Indeed, Kelela’s return is more understated than we might have expected given her absence, but the floating, ethereal “Washed Away” is all the the reminder we need of her power. Over a wash of synth like a murky rainbow, she takes her time getting to her words, using her glimmering voice to share emotions beyond that which can be written down. Even when she does elucidate her feelings, it’s minimal and mystical, inviting us to connect to it in our own ways.
Watch the video for “Washed Away” below or find it on streamers.
“Washed Away” is out on Warp. You can find Kelela on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
