Kimberly Walker’s style, both as an artist and on her record ‘Freckles’, is all about injecting soulful and sultry melodies with intimate vulnerable lyricism. Freckles is an introduction to Kimberly, it’s a full fledged exposition into an up and coming r&b and soul music star who’s just at the cusp of a promising career. The album is all about relationships, about falling in and out of love, about navigating through its labyrinth of complexities, as well as being an outlet for Kimberly herself to really reveal who she is and what she stands for. It sways from assured confidence and boisterousness to reserved insecurity and vulnerability with intimate exposition to the listener.
Walker draws on what could be described as a foundation of r&b while layering it with a host of other elements from jazz, soul, and even commercial pop. On the album’s titular opener, Kimberly lets her voice take a more restrained presence on stage with the production in and around it being a spacious and atmospheric serenade that swoons you into a deep sense of comfort like a hypnotic lullaby. But the vibe switches so markedly on ‘Higher’, where Walker starts to really showboat the full gambit of her vocal capabilities. Hitting notes that seem progressively more and more incredulous, ‘Higher’ is a nigh psychedelic r&b banger. on ‘Feeling Myself’, that serene sense of relaxation and blissful comfort is made immediately accessible to any and all listeners.
There’s not immense diversity across Freckles, but it succeeds so well at what its attempting to put out that there’s really no need for it. It’s a remarkably well sung and produced soulful pop record that doesn’t waste a single moment with dullness. You’re invigorated, relaxed, and left euphoric through and through. I can’t wait for more.