Dynamic, cohesive and inventive, Kali Uchis has mastered a new sound with her fourth album “ORQUÍDEAS”. Featuring reggaeton, pop and R&B influences, the tracks on “ORQUÍDEAS” are primarily in Spanish, making it Uchis’s second album comprised of songs in her first language. Each track on the album could succeed as a single, a testament to the beauty and incredible production of “ORQUÍDEAS” as a whole.
Uchis, a Colombian American singer-songwriter has made a name for herself since her debut full-length album “Isolation” dropped in 2018. With lyrics often centered around female empowerment and poetically beautiful visuals, Uchis’s work represents an incredible intersection of genres and culture.
Uchis’s biggest hits include “telepatía” off her sophomore album “Sin Miedo” and “Melting” which was released in her 2015 EP “Por Vida”. Uchis’s 2018 collaboration with rapper Tyler, the Creator on “After The Storm” reached TikTok virality and gained the growing artist an even larger following. Tracks off “ORQUÍDEAS” have similarly found success on TikTok—such as “Igual Que Un Ángel”—which features Mexican singer Peso Pluma.
Due to the uniform techno, dancey and smooth quality of many of the tracks on “ORQUÍDEAS”, a listener playing the album all the way through may have a difficult time differentiating each song. The style and genre of “ORQUÍDEAS” follows in the footsteps of Uchis’s earlier works, yet it does not feel similar enough to the point of sounding overly repetitive. Standouts include “Diosa”, with its uniquely rhythmic and syncopated opening few measures and “Me Pongo Loca,” which deliberately switches between languages at different points in the song, drawing listeners’ attention to the words Uchis is singing.
“Yes, I get a little bit / I get a little crazy, pero no es mi culpa,” Uchis says in “Me Pongo Loca”.
“Te Mata”, track six, begins with a peaceful string introduction that sets up the almost drowsy tone of the song. The uniqueness of the beginning measures of the song set it apart from the openings of other tracks from “ORQUÍDEAS”. It is smooth, buttery and calm.
“Pues eso ya pasó, esa ya no soy yo,” Uchis sings in “Te Mata”. (Well it is what it is, that’s not me anymore). Here, Uchis reflects on a past relationship and sings about focusing on herself in the healing process. These lyrics align with the themes of many of Uchis’s songs about self-love and self-respect.
“Dame Beso // Muévete,” the final track of the album, features an invigorating accelerando at the end of the song. The increased tempo and driving beat produce a sense of blissful restlessness.
Tracks on “ORQUÍDEAS” have earned themselves a spot on listeners’ feel-good and dance party playlists. Uchis continues to prove herself an innovative, genre-bending and lyrically talented artist.
Rating: ★★★★★
