Alt-R&B trendsetter Kelela has been rather generous in the leadup to her upcoming remix compilation RAVE:N, The Remixes. She’s dropped three singles and two visuals — a video for “Closure (Flexulant x BAMBII Remix)” and a vignette for “Happy Ending (A.G Remix)” — thus far. But with the set’s release inching closer, the singer isn’t done rolling out the new experiences the compilation will provide. She hits us with yet another with the vignette for “Holier (JD. REID Remix)” featuring Shygirl.
“Holier” was a moody little vibe when it first featured on Raven. The song was stripped of percussion and instead relied on brooding synth that flowed through listeners like the waters of the ocean as Kelela ruminated on a broken heart. Producer JD. REID gives the cut a much feistier sound as he remakes the track into a wobbling, bass-heavy electro-trap number complete with skittering hi-hats.
The feel here is much less beautifully despondent and more bad b**tch. That’s partly because Kelela’s lyrics come at a faster clip than the original and partly because of the energy infused into the proceedings by Shygirl’s verse.
“Talk is cheap, I ain’t tryna wait / Keepin’ me distracted while you play me in my face / Blockin’ me from blеssings that are waitin’ to take your place,” she defiantly rhymes. “Eithеr I’m the one or the one that caught a case / You decide if you like, but it’s me that pulls the strings / Look, baby, no hands, watch me really handle tings.”
The vignette for the cut once again transports us to Tokyo. This time we’re with Kelela as she stands beside a tranquil lake while rocking a wet and wavy blonde wig and fluffy wool top with matching sleeves. The vignette focuses on her as she strikes graceful poses and occasionally mouths the song’s lyrics. It’s more about creating a mood, though, and she does just that while mixing the avant-garde with the serene.
All the remixes so far have given the songs a different feel, but this one really changes up the vibe. But isn’t that what remixes are for? Get into the “Holier (JD. REID Remix)” and its vignette when you tap in below and look for RAVE:N, The Remixes to switch things up even further upon its release on Friday, February 9th.
