I Came from Love
| I Came from Love | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Dave Okumu and the 7 Generations | ||||
| Released | 14 April 2023 | |||
| Length | 65:49 | |||
| Label | Transgressive | |||
| Producer |
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| Dave Okumu chronology | ||||
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I Came from Love is the second album by British musician Dave Okumu, credited as a collaboration with "the 7 Generations," released on 14 April 2023 through Transgressive Records. Most tracks feature various vocalists, including Eska, Grace Jones, Kwabs, Wesley Joseph, and Anthony Joseph. It received acclaim from critics.
Background[edit]
Although primarily a solo album, Okumu wanted to credit the album to a "semi-pseudonym" as he did not make it alone and he wanted to credit "[his] actual ancestors, the ancestors of others, [his] musical ancestors, and [his] descendants," also expressing that he hoped "listeners will feel like they're part of the 7 Generations, and when [he] performs on stage, every member of the band is part of the 7 Generations".[1][2] The backing band includes Nick Ramm on keyboards, Aviram Barath on synthesizers, and his regular collaborator Tom Skinner on drums.[1]
Critical reception[edit]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 83/100[3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Clash | 9/10[1] |
| DIY |  [5] |
| The Guardian | [6] |
| Mojo | [7] |
| MusicOMH | [8] |
| The Observer | [9] |
| Uncut | 7/10[10] |
I Came from Love received a score of 83 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on eight critics' reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[3] Tayyab Amin of The Guardian called it "stacked with fascinating features [...] and drawing from an extensive lineage of Black experience" with "seamless genre switch-ups [that] ensure I Came from Love finds strength in its multiplicity".[6] Mojo described it as "an often challenging, always thrilling triumph that rewards deep listening and re-listening",[7] while Uncut called it "all necessarily mood but never morose".[10]
Kitty Empire of The Observer found it to be "a more definitive solo statement, boasting vocals, prose readings and illustrious guests" and "while it's an emotional listen, I Came from Love is not a difficult record, musically", writing that "Get Out is a stark, Prince-ish funk track" and "Eyes on Me is a pop tune about the distorting structures of racism".[9] AllMusic's Paul Simpson called I Came from Love "a reflection of [Okumu's] own life and family ancestry [...] as well as an exploration of Black history as a whole", also finding it to be "an informative, emotionally heavy album reminding listeners of the harsh realities and injustices of history, while encouraging resistance and change".[4]
DIY's Bella Martin stated that it is "as sonically rich as his past work would suggest, each track consisting of whipsmart layers of lush noises, a carousel of collaborators joining in as a backing band of sorts" and concluded by calling it a "poignant, thought-provoking record on so many levels".[5] Nick Roseblade of Clash opined that it is "the best album that Okumu has released but it's one of the finest albums of the year so far", summarising it as a "tapestry of black experience wrapped up in with glorious melodies, catchy choruses and dripping in emotion".[1] Ben Hogwood of MusicOMH summed it up as "a cohesive musical statement in spite of its length" and "his first-hand experiences mean Okumu's sonorous tones carry powerful messages, in what is one of his finest musical achievements to date".[8]
Track listing[edit]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Two Things" (featuring Grace Jones) | 0:45 |
| 2. | "7 Generations" (featuring Wesley Joseph, Eska and Grace Jones) | 6:21 |
| 3. | "Blood Ah Go Run" (featuring Wesley Joseph and Eska) | 3:35 |
| 4. | "Streets" | 6:21 |
| 5. | "My Negritude" (featuring Anthony Joseph) | 4:02 |
| 6. | "The Cost" (featuring Kwabs) | 3:17 |
| 7. | "Prison" (featuring Wesley Joseph) | 6:12 |
| 8. | "Black Firework" (featuring Anthony Joseph, Eska and Kwabs) | 4:16 |
| 9. | "Scenes" (featuring Kwabs and Anthony Joseph) | 4:44 |
| 10. | "Amnesia" (featuring Eska) | 4:00 |
| 11. | "Get Out" (featuring Wesley Joseph and Eska) | 3:56 |
| 12. | "The Struggle" (featuring Wesley Joseph, Eska and Kwabs) | 1:54 |
| 13. | "Eyes on Me" | 5:10 |
| 14. | "Abaka" | 6:42 |
| 15. | "A Paradise" (featuring Wesley Joseph, Eska and Grace Jones) | 4:34 |
| Total length: | 65:49 | |
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Roseblade, Nick (17 April 2023). "Dave Okumu & the 7 Generations – I Came from Love | Reviews". Clash. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ "Dave Okumu & The 7 Generations". EFG London Jazz Festival. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ a b "I Came from Love by Dave Okumu Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ a b Simpson, Fred (13 April 2023). "Dave Okumu – I Came from Love Album Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ a b Martin, Bella (13 April 2023). "Dave Okumu and the 7 Generations – I Came from Love review". DIY. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ a b Amin, Tayyab (14 April 2023). "Dave Okumu & the 7 Generations: I Came from Love review – spirituals, soul ... and Grace Jones". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Dave Okumu – I Came from Love". Mojo. May 2023. p. 92.
- ^ a b Hogwood, Ben (17 April 2023). "Dave Okumu & the 7 Generations – I Came from Love | Album Reviews". MusicOMH. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ a b Empire, Kitty (16 April 2023). "Dave Okumu & the 7 Generations: I Came from Love review – a meditation on Blackness". The Observer. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Dave Okumu – I Came from Love". Uncut. May 2023. p. 32.