Red Moon In Venus

On March 3rd, 2023, Kali Uchis released her third studio album Red Moon in Venus. This album comes two years after her all spanish album Sin Miedo. Red Moon in Venus is a mix of Spanish and English that features Don Toliver, Summer Walker, and Omar Apollo and with production from artists like Benny Blanco and Omar Apollo. I would describe this album as a sultry R&B album with Latin influences. 

The lead single “Moonlight” is a 70s inspired track with a groovy bassline in the background. In the opening line and chorus, she interpolates Charli XCX’s cover of “Moments in Love.” Chali XCX’s cover was trending on TikTok and Kali Uchis used TikTok to tease the sample of “Moonlights.” The interpolation gave me a sense of already knowing the song and I think that can also be good for marketing the song. The song talks about her being with her lover and getting high together. Even though she says she wants to get high, this comes off more as getting high off of being with your partner and being deeply in love. 

The second single on the album is popular, even if it feels out of place on an album focused on being in love, not longing for love. “I Wish You Roses” currently has 30,000,000 streams on Spotify. Kali Uchis said in a Pitchfork interview that, “This song is about being able to release people with love. It could be a friend, a lover, or someone else, but the point is to celebrate releasing people from your life without being resentful or bitter.” I really relate to that because I had a falling out with a friend and even though it didn’t end well;  however, because of the album’s theme, I would have preferred to have it as the last track because it interrupts a narrative on the album of the growth of loving feelings. 

My favorite song on the album is “Love Between…” She teased this song on Tik Tok on July 22, 2023 and it has been stuck in my head since. It’s a slow melodic track with slight drums in the instrumental. One of my favorite aspects of the song is the chorus. It says that “love between two human beings can be so wonderful.” It interpolates The Temptress 1972 single “Love… Can be so wonderful”. I like that she says Love between two human beings because it shows that love doesn’t have to be between just a boy and a girl. The 1972 single says “Love between a boy and girl can be so wonderful.” I like the modern twist in the lyrics and how it’s more inclusive.

Red Moon in Venus has received very good reviews with The Guardian calling it “an elegant exposé of a troubled heart.” Complex called Kali Uchis “the sultry villain R&B needs right now.” Metacritics gave the album an 85/100. Pitchfork, which is notorious with its harsh rankings, gave it a 8.2/10. She’s kept a consistent theme of red and gold hues for the album which is very aesthetically pleasing.

I would give this album a 10/10 because I’m a big Kali Uchis fan and I feel like this album really exceeded my expectations when I heard she was dropping an album.