Scales

Suggested Two Months Ago

Scales ft. Kelela by Solange

Recommended by Sam C.

"Solange's head voice is hypnotic and Kelela's harmony takes it to a-whole-nother level. Honestly, you should listen to the entirety of her new album titled A Seat At the Table; it's very meaningful, genuine, and authentic."

I agree with your vocabulary choices here: There's nothing catchy about the quiet voice that carries on with a rambling melody over the sparse accompaniment, yet there's still something about it that draws you in - hypnotic is a good word for it.

The tone of the track is intense and pensive, and you have to be in the right mindset to fully digest it. This isn't mainstream; this isn't pop. This isn't even entertainment, not primarily.

Scales, and the entire album from which it comes, is art, and it doesn't necessarily have to be enjoyed in order to be appreciated. (I'm not saying it can't be enjoyed - but it certainly isn't as easy to consume as many of the manufactured hits we hear on the radio.)

On the topic, Solange says:

A Seat at the Table for me is an invitation to allow folks to pull up a chair, get very close and have these hard uncomfortable truths be shared. It's not going to be pretty, it's not going to be fun, you may not get to dance to it, you're not going to breathe easily through it, but that is the state of the times that we're in right now. (source)

Scales takes on such themes as racism (your world is kind, but your world ain't blind) and, on a related note, cultural appropriation (look on the TV; they all want to be me). (x)

The big message, though, is a warning "against letting others determine your self worth," especially when the streets say you're a king and the world says you're a failure (x).

You have to decide for yourself what to believe.

outro

Overview:

Genre:

Neo Soul / R&B

Favorite Lyrics:

Ain't no apologizing for all of the things you want.

Verdict:

"not the kind of music that is supposed to be readily understood by everyone" (x)