Now, we all know that Kelis is a musical chameleon who can do whatever she damn well pleases: From R&B to hip-hop to electronica to soul, she’s effortlessly conquered dozens of genres over the years.
2010’s Flesh Tone was, of course, a particularly shining highlight in Kelis’ discography, as the songstress went from bringing all the boys to the yard to beckoning them upon the dance floor, providing us with killer cuts like “Acapella,” “4th of July (Fireworks)” and “Brave.”
With her latest album Food, Kelis opted to strip down the production to create something more organic, supplying live instrumentation and hearty crooning — but fear not, she’s not entirely done with dance.
“The Key” is a new single by rising English DJ Breach (Ben Westbeech), who has opted to enlist the singer’s inimitable pipes. The song first began as a straight-up remix of Food jam “Rumble,” until Kelis decided to join him directly in the studio and rework the vocals.
The end result is a pulsating House smash, as Kelis gives her song a delicious (eh heh, pun) dance floor makeover above four-to-the-floor synths and stinging electronic keys: “Oh, I’m so glad you give back my keys,” she lusciously croons across the chorus.
This might as well be the beginning of a 2014 sequel to Flesh Tone. It’s divine! (Do more, Breach!)
“The Key” will be released on November 16. (iTunes)