Tomorrow, alternative hip hop phenomenon K.Flay drops her highly sought-after sophomore full-length, Every Where is Some Where. We got a listen to the twelve track stunner, and we absolutely could not get enough. Since 2014’s Life as a Dog, we’ve seen a progression in the layering of her compositions, the introduction of a very mysterious and exciting vibe.
The album opens with “Dreamers”, with the initial soundscape like we’ve been thrown into an alternate universe or slow motion dream. Then the beat sets in, and her characteristic raspy vocals lead you into an “I want more” anthem. On the flip side, “Giver” is a very open evaluation of her awareness of self, highlighted by lines like “But all I do is fuck it up … But I don’t know if I’m a giver.” Third track “Blood in the Cut” was on her 2016 Crush Me EP, and it is absolutely a crowd favorite.
“Champagne” is the ultimate good vs. evil track, getting intense and raw within the lyrics she weaves as quickly and effortlessly as Busta Rhymes. (Yeah, we said it.) Fifth track “High Enough” brings in more of a rock feel with its instrumentals, a departure from the bass drop, hip-hop aspects of its predecessors. It’s also the first true romantic track on the album, boasting lyrics like “I’ll take a hit of whatever you got … Oh you’re phenomenal, feel like a domino, fall to my knees / I am a malady, you are my galaxy, my sweet relief,” painting the ever-vivid picture of love as a drug. The lyrics of “Black Wave” would suggest that K.Flay is struggling for some understanding in dark times (“Who you gonna trust when the killer is the cop … running in a rat maze / shaking in my own cage / What do I believe?”), which is how a lot of people feel nowadays. The way she utilizes the change in melody and really exercises her vocal range adds a depth to the words that make the track infinitely relatable.
Seventh track “Mean It” slows it way down for us, allowing K.Flay time for pause for nostalgic reasons, as she delves into specific details of her home life. This sets the stage for her to express her desire to be in love. “So when I say I love you I want to mean it / Cause I say a lot of things that I don’t mean” is a chorus we should all aspire to, a thought that is very advanced for K.Flay’s short 31 years. “Hollywood Forever” would also suggest the artist has been working for clarity and enlightenment in her own life, set to a slow and beautiful guitar-driven instrumental.
The witty and uncomfortable title “The President Has A Sex Tape” swoops in after to captivate all of your attention, an intense and poignant commentary on some hot button issues right now. “It’s Just A Lot” follows with a similar melody and tempo, this time viewing things through the painstakingly obvious lens of retrospect while simultaneously trying to “hold onto the innocence [she’s] got.” But she’s right. Life is overwhelming, “it’s just a lot.” And while “You Felt Right” may or may not be a confessional about a forbidden love, it reintroduces a slightly more hip hop vibe to the album, with bass hitting in the perfect places to make this one a hip swayer. “Slow March” ends it all and – while it’s not the slowest track on the album – examines her emotional changes throughout the months. And she’s right. Life IS a slow march, and things aren’t always going to fast track the way they want you to.
Bottom line? If you open your mind to it, you will find that you can learn a lot about yourself from this album. Every Where Is Some Where is absolute poetry in its raw, confessional state. We’re big fans of the unique edge K.Flay provides in her vocals, and are under the impression that many humans are going to feel pretty badass spinning this new release on repeat in the coming months.
Every Where Is Some Where is available for preorder now. For more on K.Flay, keep up with her on Facebook.
