Raven is the second studio album by American singer and songwriter Kelela. It was released on February 10, 2023, via Warp Records, six years after the release of the singer-songwriter's debut album Take Me Apart. A remix album, titled Rave:N, the Remixes, was released on February 9, 2024. In a press release, Kelela said Raven began as a reaction to feeling alone as a Black femme working within dance music, and described the album as an affirmation of that perspective. The album was supported by the singles "Washed Away", "Happy Ending", "On the Run", "Contact", and "Enough for Love".
Critical reception
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 86, based on 18 critical reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Aggregating 20 critic scores, AnyDecentMusic? rated Raven an 8.0 out of 10.
Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Andy Kellman described the album as a series of "(constant) if fluid oscillations between diaphanous ballads, pulsing slow jams, and modern street soul bangers . . . suited for the greater number of songs based in relationships."
Joey Levenson at NME compared it to Kelela's debut, saying it "makes for a frequently breathtaking companion to Take Me Apart," and that in a "debut album which was all about breaking down, Raven reminds us of what it means to be put back together".
Pitchfork designated the album "Best New Music", with Eric Torres calling it a "rapturous" and "masterful display of tension and release, centering queer Black womanhood through blasts of heated dance music and ambient comedowns".
Year-end lists +Select year-end rankings of Raven Critic/Publication List Rank Resident Advisor The Best Albums of 2023 Consequence The 50 Best Albums of 2023 The Line of Best Fit The Best Albums of 2023 Paste The 50 Best Albums of 2023 Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2023 Rolling Stone The 100 Best Albums of 2023 Stereogum The 50 Best Albums of 2023
Track listing All tracks written by Kelela, except "Closure", written by Kelela & Rahrah Gabor. All tracks arranged by Kelela. Additional lyricists are listed.
Notes signifies an additional producer.
Personnel Kelela – vocals, creative direction Dave Kutch – mastering Chris Tabron – mixing Brandon Peralta – mix engineering Kari Estes – mixing assistance Mischa Notcutt – creative direction Kim Cousee – layout, design Mario Horne – layout, design Alessandro Belliero – artwork Denis Olgac – artwork Hendrik Schneider – artwork
Charts + Chart performance for Raven Chart (2023) Peakposition US Top Album Sales (Billboard) 47
RAVE:N, The Remixes
Background and release On October 20, 2023, Kelela announced a remix album to Raven titled RAVE:N, The Remixes, alongside the album's lead single, "Contact (Karen Nyame KG Remix)." On December 6, 2023, she released the album's second single "Closure (Flexulant x BAMBII Remix), featuring Rahrah Gabor + Brazy, alongside the tracklist. On December 27, 2023, she released "Happy Ending (A.G Remix)", the album's third single. On January 24, 2024, she released the album's fourth single, "Holier (JD. REID Remix)", which featured rapper/singer and DJ Shygirl.
Track listing All tracks written by Kelela Mizanekristos. All tracks arranged by Kelela. Additional lyricists are listed.
Critical reception
Writing for Pitchfork, Harry Tafoya praised the album's production writing: "RAVE:N bears the distinction of being the most kinetic Kelela release in a very long time." Kiana Mickles's review for Resident Advisor concludes: "It pulls out all the stops—freshly recorded vocals, relevant contributors and a perfect song for every hour of the night."
Release history +Release dates and format(s) for RavenRegionDateFormat(s)LabelRef.VariousFebruary 10, 2023Warp
References