When she was writing Wanderland in 2001, Kelis most likely didn’t know the way prescient the album title would find yourself being. It’s an apparent pun: a reference to Lewis Carroll’s basic novel Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, it’s additionally evocative of the will for journey and wanderlust.
Wanderland has its personal fabled story behind its launch. Amid a collection of label mergers and different business upsets, Kelis’ experimental sophomore album acquired misplaced within the shuffle. Proper when it was launched in Europe, Kelis parted methods together with her label, and the album was by no means launched within the US. Wanderland was… wandering. However a Neptunes-produced Kelis album wasn’t going to elude followers perpetually.
A major mythology
Wanderland grew to become one of the storied “lost albums” of the period – even when it wasn’t actually misplaced, simply exceedingly exhausting to return by. It was, after all, imported, bootlegged and beloved, earlier than lastly being launched within the States by way of streaming companies in June 2019, 18 years after its October 17, 2001 launch date round the remainder of the world.
Kelis wasn’t alone; this was the second time in three years {that a} Neptunes-produced mission acquired shelved. Clipse had suffered the identical destiny with their album Unique Audio Footage, which, like Wanderland, accrued a major mythology throughout its misplaced years. In actual fact, Clipse, as people, characteristic on Wanderland as effectively, with Pusha T and Malice that includes on the tracks “Popular Thug” and “Daddy” respectively.
Timelier than ever
Pharrell himself lends vocals to a handful of tracks, however, like Clipse’s appearances, these spots assist tether Wanderland to our familiarity with The Neptunes’ sound relatively than overshadowing the album’s departure from it. In the end, this can be a Kelis album at the beginning, not a Neptunes mission. Even when the beats instantly establish it as being of the period (no dangerous factor), Wanderland is a welcome – if not surprising – departure from the braggadocio of N*E*R*D and Clipse… even when the Rosco P Coldchain characteristic on “Digital World” makes you assume Ab-Liva goes to pop across the nook any second.
About midway by Wanderland, “Shooting Stars” begins to sound like one thing out of a late-90s shoegaze album, or Frank Ocean a decade forward of schedule. Even when it’s much less outwardly confident than the work of Kelis’ counterparts, Wanderland stays self-aware – and horny with it. Outdoors of some dated tech references, “Digital World” is timelier than ever, proving that individuals have been fighting intercourse and expertise for many years.
Predicting the hip-hop hybrid
When “Perfect Day” hits, it’s an arresting second: the type of excellent hip-hop/rock hybrid that may have felt proper at residence on Submit Malone’s Hollywood’s Bleeding. Certainly, twenty years on from its launch, Wanderland’s crossover attraction is sort of stunning, making you marvel how anybody may have shelved the file. “Perfect Day” sounds just like the type of rock-rap hit Pharrell would chase for the higher a part of a decade. That it options contributions from No Doubt is sensible: they’d spent the late 90s crafting their very own popularity for genre-blending, whereas Pharrell and Gwen Stefani would go on to have a massively profitable working relationship only a handful of years later.
Wanderland ends on its most surprising notes: “Mr. UFO Man” and “Little Suzie.” The tracks tackle God, however are finally extra existential in nature. “UFO Man” facilities round the concept issues have gotten so sophisticated on the earth, solely an alien is able to regarding The Creator. Launched only one month after the September 11 assaults, it didn’t sound like such a far-fetched concept on the time.
On “Little Suzie,” Kelis casts herself as a girl conscious of the issues the world faces, whereas “just trying to play my part.” If she’s doing something, it’s what God willed for her. This sentiment of self-assurance, if solely a misguided half-truth, feels all of the extra highly effective within the gentle of Wanderland’s receiving the discharge it all the time deserved.
Wanderland will be purchased right here.
