The instrumentals of “little story,” the album’s opening track, feature soft, expressive strums of a guitar, giving listeners a soothing glimpse of the spiritual journey Kehlani experienced while making the album.
The title of the track also represents simplicity and elegance: “You swear I’d leave you at the altar/working on being softer.”
Near the end of the track, Kehlani’s voice fades and an orchestral crescendo dominates the song and makes the listener feel overwhelmingly restored as if you’ve let out a deep, cleansing breath of crisp, fresh air.
“Little story” makes listeners feel weightless as Kehlani harmonizes with violins and brings listeners to a sense of sublime peace.
Following “little story,” the next track “any given sunday,” features American rapper Blxst. The song gives heavy nostalgia for Sunday night vibes, with Kehlani’s calm voice and a smooth trap beat in the background.
Kehlani creates a perfect balance between soothing vocals and bold lyrics, singing ”This shit is presidential got you stimulated, to you I’m more than famous, call me daddy in front of all your bitches in the lobby.”
This is one of the best songs on the album, because the beat makes a fluid and effortless transition to Blxst’s verse, “Fourth time back this week, I'm tweakin’, got a bag for a walkthrough last weekend.”
The album also features two interludes that were beyond beautiful though they differed in musical style. Both tracks reflected the album’s naturalism.
“Everything” featured a full and warm sound including violins, making listeners feel as if they could close their eyes and realize everything is going to be okay.
Although it was solely instrumental, the track gives listeners a tranquil moment to reflect and escape into the ascending notes.
“Shooter interlude” features Kehlani’s effortlessly smooth vocals as they sing about vulnerable life experiences and reminds the world that Kehlani is confident and spirited, despite the swirling chaos of life.
“Altar” debuted as a single in September 2021 before the album’s release and triumphs as a spiritual and passionate leading track.
While there are themes of romance in the track, some listeners may interpret the song as a tribute to those who may have lost loved ones because of the tender lyrics that offer divine healing rather than heart-wrenching grief which is paired with a shimmering synth beat.
According to a March 24 Rolling Stone article, Kehlani tweeted that the song is dedicated to “all those I have lost, all the angels I have gained, all those that walk with me with hands cracking my chest open.”
The song has a special place in my heart because it helped my healing process after my 16-year-old cousin died in November.
The song is reminiscent of loss and love, but makes you feel like the person you’ve lost is still with you because of the sparkling aura in Kehlani’s voice and the song’s implication of a metaphysical connection to someone you love.
The lyrics “Put you on the altar/stay just a little bit longer/laid it out for ya/thought I’d felt you before/but now you’re closer,” reminded me that although my cousin is no longer on Earth, I still feel her vibrant spirit with me today.
“Altar” also allowed me to memorialize my cousin’s young life with relatable lyrics including “Holding on to things you told me/holding on to dreams you showed me/ holding on to anything from you.”
Kehlani sings this specific verse in a high-pitched and delicate tone as they long for the one they love.
This track was all-encompassing of Kehlani’s mystical and graceful approach to the rest of the album which emphasizes healthy love in all forms.
Although “blue water road” doesn’t include Kehlani’s signature rap and r&b style, their soft edge in the most recent album shows their maturity as an individual and as an artist.
