Flesh tone
| Flesh tone | ||||
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| Studio album by Kelis | ||||
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Publication |
May 17, 2010 (UK) |
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| Label (s) | Will.i.am Music, Interscope | |||
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Format (s) |
CD, download |
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Electronica , dance , house |
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Title (number) |
9 |
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running time |
37:41 |
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| occupation | See below | |||
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Studio (s) |
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Flesh Tone is the fifth studio album by the American singer Kelis . It is her first album since joining Interscope Records and the Will.i.am Music Group.
Background information
In December 2009, Kelis stated in an official statement that the rumors about her work on a new album were justified. She also confirmed her collaboration with Will.i.am on new music and a record deal. She is excited to be part of the Interscope family and to release new music as early as possible and go on tour for her fans. She also said that when she was looking for a record label, she took an entire album with her so that the labels that were interested in the project and understood her cause could be made available to her needs. According to Kelis, there was a lot of interest.
When asked why she chose Will.i.ams record label, Kelis said, “I think he's brilliant. I think there isn't a single song or artist these days that you can't associate with it. It's like a musical encyclopedia. And that's fun. He's not afraid of going to the limit and he goes on like everyone else before. He still seems to enjoy it and that is the only thing that matters. "Will.i.am replied:" Kelis stands for the kind of person who not only shapes us musically but also stylistically. She has always opened new doors for her audience and we are ready to go through the next one with her. "
| country | Release date | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| Poland | May 14, 2010 | Universal |
| United Kingdom | May 17, 2010 | Polydor |
| Worldwide | Universal | |
| Japan | May 19, 2010 | |
| Germany | May 28, 2010 | |
| United States | July 6, 2010 | will.i.am , Interscope |
| Canada | Universal | |
| Australia | ||
| New Zealand |
In a January 2010 preview from Billboard magazine, eight songs were announced for the album, although Kelis later confirmed nine songs on the track list. The preview also spoke of the songs Alive and Carefree American , which later did not make it onto the track list. Kelis' collaboration with the British synthpop duo La Roux was also mentioned. Furthermore, iTunes confirmed the presence of transitions, so-called "segues" on the album, which connect the beginnings and ends of the individual songs, so that the album appears like a large mega-mix and there is no pause between the songs.
Promotion for the album began on February 26, 2010, when Kelis presented the lead single from the album Acapella and three other songs from the album in a nightclub in Las Vegas . At the Ultra Music Festival she played the songs Acapella and Spaceship , a collaboration with Apl.de.ap and Benny Benassi for his new album. On Twitter, she announced a joint tour with the Swedish singer Robyn , entitled All Hearts .
Songs
In the album's intro , Kelis' celebrates her dependence on another person. Every time she tries to stop, she comes back and can't get away. 22nd Century (German: "22nd Century" ) is about the modern world and the impressions it brings with it.
Home (German: "Home" ) addresses the feeling of strong love and security. Scream (German: "Schrei" ), a song about self-confidence and vitality, was produced by David Guetta . In Emancipate Kelis sings about the strength of women and the demand to demand emancipation. The final track of the album Song for the Baby (German: "Lied für das Kind" ) is a love hymn to Kelis' newborn son Knight, in which she confesses her infinite love and assures him that she will always be there for him.
reception
| Professional reviews | |
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| Reviews | |
| source | rating |
| Digital spy |
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| NME |
 
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| According to |
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| CDStarts |
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| Disk tests |
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| The Guardian |
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| The Times |
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The reviews of Flesh Tone have been mixed, but mostly positive. Alexander Cordas, editor for “Laut” criticized Kelis 'musical development: “The machine pounds against Kelis' vocal cords with merciless Four to the Floor stupidities; You can look for song ideas here with a magnifying glass. The dictation of the boom beat rules with an iron hand. ”Nevertheless, he praised the first and last song on the album, which he described as a“ song sandwich that could almost pass as ok ”. “The opener, disguised as an intro, is very well received with a slow beat and smoky, groaning lines, the end is adorned with the best track, the ode to the newborn son Knight. Kelis cuts a fine figure in a fluffy disco outfit ... In between there is unfortunately a seemingly never-ending musical wasteland. Although the playing time of the album is just a ridiculous 37 minutes. Both artistically and in terms of quantity, Flesh Tone owes almost everything. "
Tanja Kraus from CDStarts, however, praised the contemporary style of the album: “The dark voice of Kelis fits seamlessly into the futuristic beats, you can hardly find a weak song there. You have to like dance pop and the American version of it, of course. The only disadvantage seems to be the longevity of the songs, but Kelis can claim to have delivered an above-average record in the currently highly competitive dance sector that should stir up any house disco. "
Björn Bischoff from the Plattentests website also gave the album a positive review: “Whether it was a deliberate transformation or an inner change can no longer be determined under this sound. It works far too well on its own for that - 'We Control the Dancefloor'. A must is not heard at any point. It is amazing how well Kelis' lines dig into the surface of the songs and cling to the surface ... The electronic club sound has washed around the few rough edges that could still have flashed, and Kelis is completely immersed in these sounds that are so close to the familiar, want to sound so strange and yet go much deeper. "
Track list
| # | title | Songwriting | production | length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Intro | Kelis, Burns, Jean Baptiste | Burns | 3:31 |
| 2. | 22. Century | Kelis, Baptiste, Alex Ridha, Andreas Meid, Ian O'Brien-Docker | Boys Noize | 4:55 |
| 3. | 4th of July (Fireworks) | Kelis, Baptiste, DJ Ammo, Jamie Munson, Anthony Burns, Vanessa Fischer, Ronald Morris, Jeff Scheven | DJ ammo | 5:49 |
| 4th | Home | Kelis, Baptiste, Nick Marsh | Free School | 4:03 |
| 5. | Acapella | Kelis, David Guetta, Fred Riesterer, Baptiste, Makeba Riddick | David Guetta, Fred Riesterer | 4:29 |
| 6th | Scream | Kelis, Guetta, Baptiste, Roman De Garcez | David Guetta, El Tocadisco | 3:30 |
| 7th | Emancipate | Kelis, Baptiste, Benny Benassi, Alle Benassi | All & Benny Benassi | 4:26 |
| 8th. | Brave | Kelis, James Fauntleroy II, William Adams, Baptiste | Alle & Benny Benassi, Will.i.am | 3:32 |
| 9. | Song for the baby | Kelis, Baptiste, Michael McHenry, Printz Boards, Alain Whyte | Free School | 3:42 |
| Bonus Track: | ||||
| 10. | Carefree American | 3:09 | ||
Remarks:
- The transitions were recorded and produced by Free School.
- 4th of July (Fireworks) samples the song You're My Heart (Pilotpriest Remix) by Lioness.
Chart successes
| Charts | position |
|---|---|
| Germany | 61 |
| Switzerland | 49 |
| United States | 48 |
| UK | 46 |
Singles
| year | title | Chart placements | Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE | AT | CH | UK | US | |||
| 2010 | Acapella | 21st | 36 | 61 | 5 | - |
Published: May 7th 2010 (DE) Video: Rankin, Chris Cottam |
| 4th of July (Fireworks) | - | - | - | 32 | - |
Published: July 5, 2010 Video: Kelis, Rankin, Nicole Ehrlich |
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Acapella
Background information
The album's lead single, Acapella , was released on May 7, 2010 in Germany and in the UK on May 10, 2010, and is Kelis' first release in a two-year hiatus. The song was written by Kelis, Makeba Riddick, Jean Baptiste, David Guetta and Frederik Riesterer and produced by Guetta. Acapella marks a clear departure from Kelis' former style of music, which is clearly to be found in R&B , towards electronica and dance styles . The text of the piece is about Kelis' life, which has been without music, just a cappella, all along. Only the birth of her son Knight brought the long-awaited music into her life.
In the music video for Acapella , directed by Rankin and Chris Cottam, Kelis can be seen in different costumes. At the beginning of the video you see Kelis in an Indian-like outfit walking through a forest, where she puts on a feathered mask. In the next scene only her head can be seen against a blue background, on which she wears bright blue glasses. At the beginning of the first stanza, Kelis stands as an Indian in the forest and sings, while scenes with her as an Amazon with a bow and arrow are faded in. During the chorus you see all the previous scenes in rapid succession, followed by the singer in a black latex suit against a black background. In the second stanza, Kelis is in a tent with some wolves, her skin is golden and she is wearing a costume that is reminiscent of a wolf. In the bridge to the chorus she hangs in a yellow dress in front of a gray sky. The dress has four long stripes on the back, which are stretched so that it looks like Kelis is the sun in the sky. In the second chorus, the previous scenes are also cut together. The bridge shows Kelis standing motionless in a desert. This scenario is also found in the last chorus, as well as the previous scenes in the music video.
occupation
The following people contributed to the creation of Flesh Tone .
management
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Visual
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singing
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production
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music
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Web links
- Official website
- Official website (English)
- Flesh tone
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c digital spy message
- ↑ a b rap-up interview
- ^ Billboard: Flesh Tone Album Preview
- ↑ iTunes
- ↑ Rap-Up Report: Kelis Brings Her Milkshake To Vegas
- ^ Miami New Times
- ↑ Tour announcement
- ↑ a b c d Reviews: Digital Spy NME According to CDStarts record tests The Guardian The Times
- ↑ German Charts ( Memento of the original from July 27, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Swiss charts
- ↑ a b Flesh Tone in the Official UK Charts (English)
- ↑ Chart sources: DE ( Memento of the original from September 5, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. AT , CH , US
- ↑ Flesh Tone Booklet
Studio albums: Kaleidoscope (1999) | Wanderland (2001) | Tasty (2003) | Kelis Was Here (2006) | Flesh Tone (2010)
Compilations: The Hits (2008)