British vocalist Rachel Agatha Keen AKA RAYE has been making waves in the music industry for quite some time now. She’s sung and written songs for the likes of Charli XCX, John Legend, Beyoncé, Ellie Goulding and Little Mix. Known for performing barefoot, she has cemented herself into the musical zeitgeist with ‘THIS ALBUM MAY CONTAIN HOPE.’, the follow up to her 2023 debut album ‘My 21st Century Blues’ featuring the single ‘Escapism’ featuring rapper 070 Shake.
This album starts out with a very cinematic introduction of an autobiographical ‘Girl Under A Gray Cloud.’ literally setting the scene of a hopeless woman destined to redeem herself. The following track ‘I Will Overcome’ breaks through the bleakness and has RAYE lift herself from her state of squalor and pledge that she’ll come out the other side a better woman. ‘Beware The South London Lover Boy.’ is an upbeat track warning fellow susceptible girls of a womanizer in the South London area that reads like a sultry Broadway villain’s theme.
In ‘The WhatsApp Shakespeare.’ RAYE refers to a past lover who would woo her with clever love notes via WhatsApp rife with biblical imagery and literary references on a tango infused beat that transforms into a jazzy cinematic flip that feels like a trailer to a film noir gangster film.
‘Winter Woman.’ changes the temperature to a weepy R&B ballad of relishing and accepting the bitter cold of losing love and its consequential actions, reverting to her state of squalor, heartbroken, drunken, and sad until the tides change once again.
‘Click Clack Symphony.’ features the orchestral direction of Grammy award-winning composer Hans Zimmer famous for movie scores to blockbusters like ‘Interstellar’, ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘The Lion King’. This song serves as a glorious metaphor for the sound of high heels on the floor; women literally getting up and moving forward instead of laying sedentary in their sadness from whatever may have wronged them.
‘I Know You’re Hurting.’ is a rousing soulful gospel rock ballad that reads as someone seeing and listing off your diary’s darkest and saddest insecurities; but confirms instead of ridicules them. This song pierces the heart with its final words, “If you’re listening to this, I need you to hear me now / Don’t you give up on your life / Stay with me now / Oh, don’t give up on your life / It’s gonna be alright, It’s gonna be alright”.
‘Life Boat.’ keeps that same energy and enhances it with a trance inspired track with the repeated mantra from various voices: “I’m not giving up yet” showing unabashed ferocity of doing better amid not knowing the outcome.
‘I Hate The Way I Look Today.’ is a swing inspired song highlighting her struggle with body dysmorphia among brass and male chorus while also actively fighting the urge to succumb to the self-loathing and changing your habits. ‘Goodbye Henry.’ is a soulful love song of loss that transposes across several keys and features gospel and soul legend Al Green crooning over processing a past lover that uses the name Henry as a placeholder. This track has plenty of influence from the late great Amy Winehouse, whom RAYE has been compared to on a regular basis.
‘Nightingale Lane.’ is a soulful somber ballad illustrating RAYE’s worst heartbreak yet over a past lover with so much wasted potential. Even with the pain of this heartbreak, she believes someone will love her the same if not better than her past lover. This song is another blend of RAYE’s clever blend of spoken word, call-and-response, rap, and powerful vocals.
‘Skin and Bones.’ is a funky track that strips herself of her body parts as well as her lover’s but leaves out the most important part of the lover’s, the brain. She wants nothing to do with a man who only wants her for her body and nothing more.
The jazzy hit single ‘Where Is My Husband!’ reflects on the impatience of a potential husband figure that she’s ready to pursue. Even RAYE’s grandmother contributes to the track with a reassuring “Your husband is coming!”
‘Fields.’ is a warm gospel ballad reflecting on her family and roots, promising her songwriting grandfather that she’ll bring life to his songs, considering that one of his was stolen and turned into a hit.
‘Joy.’ is an upbeat gospel anthem that features the vocals of RAYE’s sisters Amma and Absolutely. Built on a looping sample of the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, asking a question. Despite all obstacles in front of the singers, RAYE references the biblical verse Psalms 30:5 – “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”
‘Happier Times Ahead.’ is a simple ballad of ordinary people pressing on with everyday life but showcasing their underlying struggles. This illustrates that everyone is quietly going through something. Another biblical reference shines through, Philippians 4:7 – “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds…”
‘Fin.’, the album’s end is a wonderous and whimsical ‘end credits’ scene to the album that wishes the listener that they found the hope the album contains, and if not, advises them to listen again! This is a followed by a spoken thank you of ALL who worked on this album, showcasing her humility.
Whew! This album was a beautiful masterful distillation of the breadth of the human condition with gorgeous instrumentation and loving lyrics. This album has to be digested properly rather than quickly consumed, it’s a beautiful emotional journey that I haven’t seen other artists take on quite like this. This album does contain hope and WILL make you cry.
11/10
