Hassle-Free Returns Keys, Alicia Keys Sony vinyl record

2×12″ – Hip Hop / R&B LP – Released via RCA Records – primarily self produced eighth studio album by superstar American singer / songwriter. Preceded by the release of two singles ‘Lala (Unlocked)’ and ‘Best Of Me’.
2CD – The album features 26 songs across 2 discs, with two versions of 10 tracks, along with another six other tracks. Collaborators include Swae Lee, Lil Wayne, Khalid, Lucky Daye, Pusha T and Brandi Carlile. The first disc features the ‘Original’ songs, which are more traditional, melodic compositions. The second disc features the ‘Unlocked’ versions of the same tracks, where Mike WiLL Made-It samples the ‘Original’ tracks and gives them a stronger beats/effects transformation. Some songs exist only either in their ‘Original’ or ‘Unlocked’ version.
2LP – The album features 21 songs across a limited black vinyl 2LP sey (original and unlocked). Collaborators include Swae Lee, Lil Wayne, Khalid, Lucky Daye, Pusha T, Brandi Carlile. The first part features the “Original” songs, that are more traditional and melodic. The second half of the album features the “Unlocked” versions of the same tracks, where Mike WiLL Made-It sampled the “Original” tracks and gave them stronger beats and several effects and transformations. Some songs exist only either in their “Original” or “Unlocked” version.

A conceptual offering from Alicia keys see collaborators including Swae Lee, Lil Wayne, Khalid, Lucky Daye, Pusha T and Brandi Carlile. Separated by a piano interlude ‘KEYS’, the record comes in two parts. Part 1 features completely original tracks, while part 2 sees certain tracks ‘unlocked; by Mike WiLL Made-it, seeing them sampled and transformed. From jazzy hip-hop in ‘Harmonies’ with Pusha T that opens up with a symphonic piano, to the haunting ‘Nat King Cole’ Alicia Keys is really pushing the boat out on this project – the experimentation extending to giving an entire second disc to a producer is genius and very rewarding on tracks like ‘Skydive’ and ‘Billions’ which are completely transformed in tone and delivery – the previously ‘Nat King Cole’ gets an additional Lil Wayne feature which works really well as introduction to Alicia’s vocals. ‘Keys’ has a surprise at every turn, with some incredibly skilled piano playing as well as a host of high quality rap features.