Raye - Euphoric Sad Songs review

The Guardian 60

(Polydor)
There’s plenty of romantic devastation in pop songs with friendly beats and buoyant melodies on Rachel Keen’s album, but it’s not distinctive enough

Rachel Keen has spent the past half-decade working overtime behind the pop scenes – lending her songwriting skills to various megastars (Beyoncé, Ellie Goulding, Little Mix), and her cool, assured vocals to a series of house DJs (Jax Jones, Martin Solveig, Jonas Blue). Now, the south Londoner is making a concerted effort to reroute her talents into her own steadily blossoming solo career, with a release that in less complicated times might have been billed as her debut album (the nine-track record is either her first “mini album”, or fifth EP, depending who you ask).