Stings (album)
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Stings
| type = studio
| artist = Kamaal Williams
| cover = Kamaalwilliamsstings.png
| border = yes
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2023|9|27|df=y}}
| recorded = 2022
| studio =
| genre =
| length =
| label = Black Focus
| producer = {{hlist|Kamaal Williams}}
| prev_title = Wu Hen
| prev_year = 2020
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc =
}}
Stings is the third studio album by English musician Kamaal Williams, released on 27 September 2023 under Black Focus Records.{{cite web |last1=Staff. |title=Kamaal Williams to Release Third Solo Album |url=https://xlr8r.com/news/kamaal-williams-to-release-third-solo-album/ |website=XLR8R |access-date=22 July 2023 |date=11 July 2023}}
Background
According to Williams, Stings "integrate[s] more oriental imagery and add[s] more melodic elements."{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Nicole |title=台英混血音樂家Kamaal Williams吳罕帶你進入爵士樂的新世代 |url=https://www.vogue.com.tw/entertainment/article/kamaal-williams-interview |website=Vogue Taiwan |access-date=1 February 2023 |language=zh-Hant-TW |date=31 January 2023}} Williams reportedly began composing the album on a newly purchased upright piano during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The album was recorded in Los Angeles and Chicago in early 2022. Miguel Atwood-Ferguson features on the record as an arranger.{{cite web |last1=Slingerland |first1=Calum |title=Kamaal Williams Details New Album 'Stings,' Shares New Song 'PKKNO' |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/kamaal_williams_details_new_album_stings_shares_new_song_pkkno |website=Exclaim! |access-date=22 July 2023}}
The visuals for Stings were designed by Sascha Lobe and Kimberly Lloyd.{{cite web |last=Murray |first=Robin |title=Kamaal Williams Announces New Album 'Stings'|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/kamaal-williams-announces-new-album-stings/ |website=Clash|access-date=11 July 2023 |date=11 July 2023}}
On 29 March 2023, Williams gave an exclusive performance of the album's songs at a Roland store in London.{{cite web |last1=Shlensky |first1=Carolyn |title=A Few Minutes with Kamaal Williams |url=https://articles.roland.com/a-few-minutes-with-kamaal-williams/ |publisher=Roland Corporation |access-date=3 July 2023 |date=30 May 2023}}{{cite web |title=Kamaal Williams Magnolia (Live Piano Performance at the Roland Store) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0iMiLV6seA |via=YouTube|access-date=22 July 2023 |language=en}}
The song "PKKNO" was released alongside the track listing announcement of Stings.
According to XLR8R, Stings "is rooted in the South London jazz scene that birthed [Williams]" but "levitates into the impressionist symphonies of Claude Debussy, [and] hip-hop and electronic beats."
Reception
Passion of the Weiss ranked the album at number 31 in its Best Albums of 2023 list.{{cite web |last1=Biswas |first1=Joel |title=The POW Best Albums of 2023 |url=https://www.passionweiss.com/2023/12/28/pow-best-albums-2023/ |website=Passion of the Weiss |access-date=25 January 2024 |date=28 December 2023}}
Track listing
{{Tracklist
| all_writing =
|title1=The Last Symphony
|length1= 1:30
|title2=The Guvna
|length2= 4:00
|title3=Stings
|length3=4:50
|title4=Little River
|length4=4:04
|title5=Dogtown
|length5=6:30
|title6=Repercussions
|length6=4:22
|title7=City of God
|length7=3:19
|title8=Taiwan
|length8=4:55
|title9=Ronan
|length9=2:22
|title10=Magnolia
|length10=3:56
|title11=The Last Symphony/Magnolia
|length11=6:02
|title12=Magnolia II
|length12=3:17
|title13=PKKNO
|length13=2:47
| total_length =
}}
Tracks 1-10 and 11-13 are split into separate discs in Spotify and Apple Music.{{cite web |title=Stings - Kamaal Williams |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/6VinTZHoP04RXMsQk3W4A4 |access-date=28 September 2023 |language=en |date=27 September 2023|via=Spotify}}{{cite web |title=Stings by Kamaal Williams |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/stings/1698168193 |access-date=28 September 2023 |via=Apple Music|date=27 September 2023}}