I Came from Love

Although primarily a solo album, Okumu wanted to credit the album to a "semi-pseudonym" as he did not make it alone and he wanted to credit "[his] actual ancestors, the ancestors of others, [his] musical ancestors, and [his] descendants", also expressing that he hoped "listeners will feel like they're part of the 7 Generations and when [he] perform[s] on stage that every member of the band is part of the 7 Generations".[1][2] The backing band includes Nick Ramm on keyboards, and Aviram Barath on synthesizers and his regular collaborator Tom Skinner on drums.[1]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	83/100[3]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Clash	9/10[1]
DIY	[5]
The Guardian	[6]
Mojo	[7]
MusicOMH	[8]
The Observer	[9]
Uncut	7/10[10]

I Came from Love received a score of 83 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on eight critics' reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[3] Tayyab Amin of The Guardian called it "stacked with fascinating features [...] and drawing from an extensive lineage of Black experience" with "seamless genre switch-ups [that] ensure I Came from Love finds strength in its multiplicity".[6] Mojo described it as "an often challenging, always thrilling triumph that rewards deep listening and re-listening",[7] while Uncut called it "all necessarily mood but never morose".[10]

Kitty Empire of The Observer found it to be "a more definitive solo statement, boasting vocals, prose readings and illustrious guests" and "while it's an emotional listen, I Came from Love is not a difficult record, musically", writing that "Get Out is a stark, Prince-ish funk track" and "Eyes on Me is a pop tune about the distorting structures of racism".[9] AllMusic's Paul Simpson called I Came from Love "a reflection of [Okumu's] own life and family ancestry [...] as well as an exploration of Black history as a whole", also finding it to be "an informative, emotionally heavy album reminding listeners of the harsh realities and injustices of history, while encouraging resistance and change".[4]

DIY's Bella Martin stated that it is "as sonically rich as his past work would suggest, each track consisting of whipsmart layers of lush noises, a carousel of collaborators joining in as a backing band of sorts" and concluded by calling it a "poignant, thought-provoking record on so many levels".[5] Nick Roseblade of Clash opined that it is "the best album that Okumu has released but it's one of the finest albums of the year so far", summarising it as a "tapestry of black experience wrapped up in with glorious melodies, catchy choruses and dripping in emotion".[1] Ben Hogwood of MusicOMH summed it up as "a cohesive musical statement in spite of its length" and "his first-hand experiences mean Okumu's sonorous tones carry powerful messages, in what is one of his finest musical achievements to date".[8]