In honor of her album, Isolation, celebrating its fifth anniversary this week, Kali Uchis unearthed “In The Lobby,” a previously-unreleased track from the era.
“I paid the girl behind the desk so she tell me what she’s seen in the lobby / You been makin’ a fool of me but you’re too proud to even say you’re sorry,” Uchis sings in the opening lines, as she sets the vengeful tale toward someone who’s presumably cheating on her.
It relies on an almost-psychedelic instrumental as Uchis’ jazzy voice is backed by several singers. By the time the chorus hits, the peaceful sound of the song hides the tension that continues to rise as the lyrics progress.
“What goes around will come around / So sleep with one eye open, now (Ooh, ooh),” she continues to warn in the song. “‘Cause this ain’t what you want, papi / You should’ve known the tables turn (Ooh, ooh) / But soon enough you’re gonna learn (Ooh, ooh) / Yeah, this ain’t what you want, papi.”
Uchis has been already on a roll this year, dropping her album, Red Moon In Venus, and continuing to tease the fact that she’s also recorded a whole other LP that’s entirely in Spanish. Only time will tell when she decides to release the second one.
Listen to Kali Uchis’ “In The Lobby” above.