Shadow Works
Studio album by
Kerli
Released22 February 2019
GenreElectropop[1]
Length42:21
LabelSeeking Blue
Producer
Kerli chronology
Deepest Roots[2]
(2016)		 Shadow Works
(2019)
Singles from Shadow Works
  1. "Savages"
    Released: 30 November 2018
  2. "Better"
    Released: 18 January 2019
  3. "Legends"
    Released: 8 February 2019

Shadow Works is the second studio album by Estonian singer and songwriter Kerli. It was released on 22 February 2019 via Seeking Blue.[3] It was preceded by the singles "Savages", "Better", and "Legends". The album reached number 24 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart in the United States.[4] It was executive produced by Cyrus Saidi.

Background

Following the cancellation of the release of Utopia as her second studio album instead of an EP, Kerli left Island Records and joined Ultra Music, where she released some songs as a featured artist. Kerli eventually left Ultra and decided to become an independent artist. During this time she released her third EP Deepest Roots. This EP was released only as limited signed CDs as she wanted to please the fans who had pledged for the project after its delay. Deepest Roots featured all the singles released so far from the project ("Feral Hearts", "Blossom" and "Diamond Hard") as well as remixes, audio commentaries and the instrumental track Journey Through the Elven Kingdom. The original version of the album was intended to be released around 2016-2017, but this version ended up being scrapped.

In 2018 she joined the label Seeking Blue, which ended up publishing the album. Kerli considers Shadow Works as her third studio album, as she also still considers Utopia as the second.

Composition

Shadow Works is a relative return to Kerli's first album Love Is Dead and her EP Kerli, which has a gothic sound deeply rock-inspired sound, however, the album features more electronic sounds, akin to her EP's Utopia and Deepest Roots.

Kerli described the album as “an exploration of (her) own shadow, it’s a collection of music designed to connect the listener to their own disowned parts and to honor their hidden self. I explore the feelings of victim-hood, co-dependence, lust, guilt and defeat. There are also frequencies that symbolize the eventual triumph over darkness. The vocal scapes that start, part and end the collection are designed to bring the listener into a meditative state so that Shadow Work can be performed.” [5]

Singles and promotion

The first single "Savages" was released on 30 November 2018 along the announcement and cover of the album.[6][7] It reached the fourth position as one of the most successful songs of 2018 by Estonian artists on Raadio 2.[8] The song's music video was released on Kerli's YouTube channel on 21 March 2019.[9] The second single "Better" was released on 18 January 2019[10] and the third and final before the album's release, "Legends", on 8 February 2019.[11] The day before its official released, the album was premiered via livestream on YouTube channel MrSuicideSheep.[12]

A vinyl release of the album was announced in June of 2021 from Diggers Factory.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Opening of the Way" (intro)
Kerli1:51
2."Mimicry"
  • Kõiv
  • Even Sarucco
EvenS4:34
3."Everybody Bleeds the Same"
  • Kõiv
  • Andrew Richard Burns
Crash Cove4:02
4."Savages"
  • Kõiv
  • David Dahlquist
  • Sarucco
Kill Dave3:11
5."One"
  • Kõiv
  • Ago Teppand
  • Afshin Salmani
  • Teppand
  • AFSHeeN
3:20
6."Purification" (interlude)KõivKerli1:04
7."Legends"
  • Cumbee
  • AFSHeeN
2:58
8."Where the Dark Things Are"
3:40
9."Better"
  • Kõiv
  • Burns
Crash Cove3:44
10."Giving Up the Ghost"KõivSaid the Sky4:12
11."Tuleloits / The Invocation of Fire"KõivKerli6:08
12."Shadow Works" (outro)KõivKerli3:43
Total length:42:32

Charts

Chart (2019) Peak
position
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[13] 24

Release history

List of release dates, showing region, edition(s), format(s), label(s) and reference(s)
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Various 22 February 2019 Seeking Blue [3]
15 March 2019 CD (limited edition) [14]
Estonia 28 March 2019 [15]

References

  1. ↑ Rachel Woods (5 March 2019). "KERLI RELEASES INTRICATE LP, SHADOW WORKS". EDM.com. Retrieved 28 March 2019. Fulfill all of your dark electro pop and electro bass dreams as Kerli takes you into the shadows
  2. ↑ "Kerli – Deepest Roots". Discogs.
  3. 1 2 "Shadow Works by Kerli". iTunes Store. 22 February 2019.
  4. ↑ "Heatseekers Albums (The week of March 9, 2019)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 16 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  5. ↑ "Estonian Artist KERLI Shares Insight on Newest Album 'Shadow Works' & More [Interview]". 24 March 2019.
  6. ↑ Britten Torstenberg (29 November 2018). "ELU24 INTERVJUU: Kerli Kõiv ei lase end lörtsida: jorss, pane oma asjad kokku, sest ma avan sulle siin kosmilisi väravaid ja sa ei saa üldse asjast aru". ELU24 (in Estonian). Postimees.
  7. ↑ Ariana O'Keefe (5 December 2018). "Kerli Releases "Savages" Ahead of New Album". The Nocturnal Times.
  8. ↑ "Nublu noppis koore! R2 Aastahiti hääletusel ei olnud mõminaräpparile vastast (88)". Kroonika (in Estonian). 30 December 2018.
  9. ↑ "Kerli - Savages (Official Music Video)". Retrieved 23 March 2019 – via YouTube.
  10. ↑ "Better (Original Mix) by Kerli". Beatport. 18 January 2019.
  11. ↑ "Legends (Original Mix) by Kerli". Beatport. 8 February 2019.
  12. ↑ "KERLI Announces YouTube Livestream of New Album 'Shadow Works'". BroadwayWorld. 19 February 2019.
  13. ↑ "Kerli Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  14. ↑ "Shadow Works (Limited Edition Compact Disc)". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  15. ↑ "Kerli - Shadow Works CD". Apollo. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
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