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Kali Uchis: Orquídeas review – urgent Latin beats from a superstar in waiting
Less hazy than her recent Red Moon in Venus, the witty Colombian-American singer returns with an album centred on reggaeton, cumbia and reggae rhythms
The first, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios), came out in 2020, apparently much to the consternation of her record label, who cautioned against releasing it – advising her to ditch the cumbia and boleros and concentrate on making something that sounded more like her breakthrough hit, the R&B-flavoured After the Storm – and then, according to Uchis at least, refused to support or promote it. It diverts into traditional Latin-American musical styles – bolero on the closing Dame Beso / Muevete, dembow on Muñekita – while the single Labios Mordidos smartly sticks a reggaeton beat under a wiry synth riff of the type deployed by Dr Dre in his early 00s productions, alongside bursts of reggae’s legendary 70s Stalag riddim. and Diosa are both about bringing men to heel (“Make ’em beg for it,” suggests the former, while the latter swaggers “I’m a total goddess … with me he’s submissive”), a theme returned to on Helado, which has Uchis demanding both ice cream and a foot rub and referring to her (male) partner as “my little princess”.
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