Kali Uchis basks in the moonlight with her latest album “Red Moon In Venus”

Five out of Five stars

If you are looking for an album to fuck to, look no further than Kali Uchis’s latest album, “Red Moon In Venus.”

Released on March 3, this is Uchis’ third studio album. The songs consist of both English and Spanish lyrics.

This album blew me away upon first listening, and it only gets better every time I play it. The album is sensual, raw, and a beautiful description of the complexity of love. 

The tone of this album is almost reminiscent of what heaven sounds like. The instrumentals take you to that sweet spot in your brain whereupon listening, instantly relaxes you. 

Uchis soothes listeners with her almost honey-like voice, and the album has an excellent display of her vocal talent. While most songs are mellow and easy to listen to, there are moments where Uchis unexpectedly hits notes that hit the sweet spot. 

The best display of this is in one of the later songs of the album, “Mortal Conscience.” You hear Uchis using her whistle tone at the back of the song, but about midway through,  Uchis moans straight into a whistle note that is so jarring, but necessary to the mood of the song. 

Most songs in this album repeat a lot of the same lyrics, and while it may seem like it would get tiresome to listen to, the different dynamics in the instrumentals as the songs progress, still captivate listeners. 

While most songs are relaxing, and easy listening, at the moments where you may start to drift away into an underworldly place, Uchis strategically puts more upbeat songs in places to regain the full attention of her listeners. 

And even though these songs have a vibe shift to them, they still blend with the rest of the album perfectly. “Fantasy” is the first introduction to a more low-fi pop beat that stands out from the songs prior, “Endlessly” is more of an r and b city-pop sound, and the album’s end, “Happy Now” is a beachy song. 

The album tells a story. You start off with the beauty of love, how one wants to express themselves in their identity, then it gets a little doubtful in the middle, but then the album ends on a more positive note. 

What also did not go unnoticed, and what I appreciated about the album, is how neutral the lyrics are. This allows more people to be able to relate to the lyrics, and apply them to their own relationship, no matter the gender of their partner. 

I think “Love Between…” is the best example of this. The main lyrics driving the song are, “Love between two human beings, can be so wonderful.” It is a small detail but really helps the song be all-inclusive for every lover out there. 

Uchis uses her features for this album very well. With there being only three featured artists, it made it feel like Uchis really was in control of the story she was telling sonically and lyrically, and chose her features wisely. 

Omar Apollo, featured on “Worth the Wait,” only really serves as background vocals to the song, but still makes his presence known in a good way. Don Toliver, featured on “Fantasy,” makes the album pop with the first upbeat addition to the album. And Summer Walker, featured on “Deserve Me,” has an outstanding rap to close out the sadder part of the album. 

This album was an unexpected hit. The consistent instrumentals and lyrics really helped in telling a story and transported me to Eden for a moment. The album is ethereal and special. It really shows the power of music, and how it is used to display emotions so beautifully. 

If you want to relax, get in the mood, or simply just enjoy music, I highly recommend giving “Red Moon In Venus” a listen. It is addicting, captivating, and stands out as a refresher from what we see in most music today.