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I Came from Love

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I Came from Love
Studio album by
Dave Okumu and the 7 Generations
Released14 April 2023 (2023-04-14)
Length65:49
LabelTransgressive
Producer
Dave Okumu chronology
Knopperz
(2021)
I Came from Love
(2023)

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

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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

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic83/100[3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Clash9/10[1]
DIY[5]
The Guardian[6]
Mojo[7]
MusicOMH[8]
The Observer[9]
Uncut7/10[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

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I Came from Love track listing
No.TitleLength
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

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  1. ^ a b c d Roseblade, Nick (17 April 2023). "Dave Okumu & the 7 Generations – I Came from Love | Reviews". Clash. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Dave Okumu & The 7 Generations". EFG London Jazz Festival. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b "I Came from Love by Dave Okumu Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b Simpson, Fred (13 April 2023). "Dave Okumu – I Came from Love Album Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  5. ^ a b Martin, Bella (13 April 2023). "Dave Okumu and the 7 Generations – I Came from Love review". DIY. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ a b "Dave Okumu – I Came from Love". Mojo. May 2023. p. 92.
  8. ^ a b Hogwood, Ben (17 April 2023). "Dave Okumu & the 7 Generations – I Came from Love | Album Reviews". MusicOMH. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ a b "Dave Okumu – I Came from Love". Uncut. May 2023. p. 32.