'K.T.S.E' By Teyana Taylor Review
This weekend marked the release of the final Kanye-produced album in the series with 'K.T.S.E' by Teyana Taylor. Following the release of Pusha T's 'Daytona', Kanye's own 'Ye', 'Kids See Ghosts' by Kanye and Kid Cudi and most recently 'Nasir' by Nas, this is the final instalment of Kanye's 5-week production cycle with an 8-track project.
What immediately strikes the listener about this album is that it is 8 tracks, not seven. The previous four albums in this Kanye series all adhered strictly to a 7-track policy, however, this isn't the case here.
Singer, model and actress Teyana Taylor has a history with Kanye West; she sang on 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' and she signed with West’s G.O.O.D. Music to release her debut album 'VIIin' in 2014.
'K.T.S.E', standing for 'Keep The Same Energy', is a soulful album. She is an exceptional songstress and the songs have been produced to put that on display. Her different artistic ranges are shown throughout the eight tracks, from a vulnerability in 'Issues/Hold On' to an intense energy in 'WTP'.
Overall, the album feels warm and easy to listen to. Kanye has produced her songs with a delicacy that demonstrates her talent and displays her vocal range. Perhaps the biggest flop on the album would be the seductive '3Way', which is somewhat ruined by Ty Dolla $ign's rap which distracts the listener from the crooning of Teyana.
The best tracks on the album are by far 'Gonna Love Me', 'Hurry' and 'Never Would Have Made It', with each song demonstrating a different aspect of what makes Teyana such an exceptional artist.