Before Love Came to Kill Us
Jessie Reyez · 2020
56 min · 17 tracks · contemporary R&B
Raw emotionality intertwines with confessional storytelling, set against a backdrop of contemporary R&B grooves and haunting melodies.
Top tracks — play these first
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FIGURES — This track stands out for its poignant exploration of love and heartbreak, highlighted by Reyez's powerful vocal delivery and emotive lyricism.
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COFFIN — In COFFIN, Reyez blends haunting melodies with stark lyrics about loss and resilience, encapsulating the album's overarching themes of love and pain.
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DEAF (who are you) — This song showcases Reyez's ability to convey deep emotional conflict through vivid imagery and dynamic vocal shifts, representing her unique artistry.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong songwriting with emotional depth but has some unevenness in execution and flow.
What we noticed
- Many songs utilize a verse-chorus structure, but some tracks experiment with unconventional arrangements, such as abrupt tempo changes or spoken word sections.
- Lyrically, the album explores themes of love, heartbreak, and identity, often using vivid imagery and personal anecdotes that invite listener introspection.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady flow of raw emotion
- introspective storytelling throughout
- haunting exploration of love
- gradual release of intensity
- engaging headphone detail hunting
Maybe skip if you
- seeking upbeat party tracks
- prefer instant gratification
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Before Love Came to Kill Us marks Jessie Reyez's debut studio album following a series of acclaimed EPs and singles. Released in January 2020, it arrives after her breakout success with the single Figures in 2017, solidifying her presence in the contemporary R&B scene while showcasing her evolution as an artist.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Sabrina Claudio· Kali Uchis· H.E.R.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 DO YOU LOVE HER 3:16
- 2 DEAF (who are you) 2:53
- 3 INTRUDERS 3:05
- 4 COFFIN 4:22
- 5 ANKLES 2:49
- 6 IMPORTED 3:45
- 7 LA MEMORIA 3:18
- 8 SAME SIDE 3:10
- 9 ROOF 1:46
- 10 DOPE 2:38
- 11 KILL US 4:06
- 12 LOVE IN THE DARK 3:59
- 13 I DO 3:52
- 14 FIGURES 3:58
- 15 SUGAR AT NIGHT 2:58
- 16 NO ONE’S IN THE ROOM 3:34
- 17 FAR AWAY 2:41
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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