Teyana Taylor’s soul unlocks the old Kanye

A surprise contender for ‘Best G.O.O.D. June album’, K.T.S.E. forces ‘Ye to bring the soul vibes to meet Taylor’s RnB influence.

Teyana Taylor’s ‘Ye-produced album finally dropped more than 24 hours after it was supposed to. It also had eight tracks, so I guess we’re off the whole “7 is the god number” thing now. I’m definitely not complaining about the extra track. K.T.S.E. (Keep The Same Energy) is arguably the most listenable of the five G.O.O.D. albums that dropped these past weeks, and I would hate to have missed out on any of the tracks that afford it that title. Taylor’s release definitely had the least hype around its release. I think it’s fair to say a lot of people only know Teyana from the Fade music video, but she’s had 11 years in the industry dancing (literally) from stage to runway to microphone.

Kanye and Teyana at the K.T.S.E. listening party.

Before we get to the good, every project has its flaws and just like with NASIR, on K.T.S.E., most of these come from ‘Ye. Firstly, Kanye says “no fade outs” at the end of Hurry but holy SHIT dude. The end of No Manners sounds like someone just chopped it off without even listening. There’s good jarring (Yeezus) and then there’s this. Speaking of Hurry… I listened to K.T.S.E. for the first time in my parent’s living room, and let’s just say my mum didn’t appreciate the surprise Kim-K sextape sample. I think Taylor gets the message across well enough in her lyrics (simultaneously ruining my childhood) to make orgasm sounds unnecessary. Hurry also has a largely unnecessary Kanye feature, but what are you gonna do? It’s his month.

“Rocket-rocket-rocket-rocket ship blast like it’s Jimmy Neutron/ Told him fuck me good with them Jimmy Choo’s on” - Hurry

In retrospect, listening to this record in my parents living room was a really average idea. This album is incredibly sexual, in a way that doesn’t translate well to that age group, on almost every track. Lastly, Kanye has sabotaged the album’s biggest potential hit, Never Would Have Made It, by choosing the muddiest and most confusing drums I’ve heard in a long time.

Aside from that, everything else on this album is near impeccable. Taylor oozes soul, swagger, vulnerability and confidence all over this thing. Her tone is beautifully unique, and even lends itself to rapping on Rose In Harlem. With Taylor being an RnB singer, Kanye was forced to bring something different to the table than what he has with the other albums. He was forced to bring the “Old Kanye” back. If you’ve been desperate for “chop up the soul Kanye,” you’ve got it in Super Saiyan form on this project. An amazing selection of samples throughout (yes even the “work this pussy” sample on WTP), gorgeous piano and strings sections, jazz and boom-bap drums all show that ‘Ye is capable of being creative within the realms of RnB.

For Teyana Taylor, K.T.S.E. was the perfect album to come with four years after her last. The only skippable track is Hurry, which sucks because it’s all Kanye’s fault. I hope he apologises by continuing to push Taylor’s music because it isn’t hard to see her blowing TF up big time.

Fav tracks: No Manners, Issues/Hold On, Rose In Harlem