Best of 2015: 13. Grimes - Art Angels
1/19/2016 09:14:00 PM
It took me until the hype had significantly died down before I got what made Visions so compelling, but I eventually grew to love it from top to bottom. So when it became obvious that its follow-up would sound very different, I was skeptical and spent my first couple run-throughs of Art Angels trying to decide if it was even good at all. The shiny, hyperactive sugar rush of it all was over-stimulating, especially following the relatively more brooding darkness of Visions. However, the more I listened, the more certain melodies became permanently wedged in my head, the more I appreciated its over-exaggerated cartoon-bright maximalism, the more I heard the confidence gained over years of lo-fi experimentation and the giddiness of an artist with the tools at her disposal to go all out. Not all of Art Angels works, but even its questionable moments contain charm. Its most impressive moments are nothing short of masterclasses in experimental pop perfection.
After a somewhat weak start (in my opinion), the album kicks into gear with "Flesh Without Blood," which was chosen as the lead single for a reason: it's unbelievably, ridiculously, sickeningly catchy. It's as reliant on electronic loops, bleeps, and glitches as Claire Boucher's music has always been but introduces the unexpected element of electric guitar and vocals that are shockingly decipherable. The glossy production places the song's massive hook(s) front and center, which is initially jarring, but Boucher has always had catchy melodies beneath the layers of electronic distortion: they're just finally given the spotlight they deserve. This song sets off a string of undeniable pop gems. Some are more straightforward and simplistic ("Easily," "Pin") while others contain literally everything but the kitchen sink. "Kill v. Maim" is an outlandish blend of disparate aesthetics, from alien punk to anime to vampire cheerleader, that manage to merge into a cohesive whole - thanks in no small part to the buckets of charisma with which Boucher sells her vision.
Between the helium-esque vocals and the sugar-coated melodies, it would be easy for the album to come across as precious or immature, but its genuineness goes a long way and a cluster of more sophisticatedly atmospheric tracks in its final third help to balance the mood. "Realiti," previously released as a demo, maintains the poppy sheen but revolves around a clear emotional core, Boucher singing airily in the gently propulsive chorus: "Every morning, there are mountains to climb/Taking all my time/Oh, when I get up, this is what I see/Welcome to reality." It's followed by another coolly electronic track, "World Princess Part II," which is just as catchy but less in-your-face, providing the listener a much-needed opportunity to breathe before "Venus Fly," a pulsing female empowerment anthem featuring Janelle Monáe that's club-ready without being generic.
As immediately accessible as much of it is, there is also so much richness and intricacy to admire in the album's production that it is a surprisingly immersive and impactful listening experience. However, I can't place it any higher because it does have a fair amount of flaws: superficial lyricism, pretty but pointless interludes, a track or two that are just boring, and a couple where the experimentation doesn't quite pay off. At the same time, though, I can't place it any lower because Boucher's ambition and passion are as impossible to deny as her choruses.
After a somewhat weak start (in my opinion), the album kicks into gear with "Flesh Without Blood," which was chosen as the lead single for a reason: it's unbelievably, ridiculously, sickeningly catchy. It's as reliant on electronic loops, bleeps, and glitches as Claire Boucher's music has always been but introduces the unexpected element of electric guitar and vocals that are shockingly decipherable. The glossy production places the song's massive hook(s) front and center, which is initially jarring, but Boucher has always had catchy melodies beneath the layers of electronic distortion: they're just finally given the spotlight they deserve. This song sets off a string of undeniable pop gems. Some are more straightforward and simplistic ("Easily," "Pin") while others contain literally everything but the kitchen sink. "Kill v. Maim" is an outlandish blend of disparate aesthetics, from alien punk to anime to vampire cheerleader, that manage to merge into a cohesive whole - thanks in no small part to the buckets of charisma with which Boucher sells her vision.
Between the helium-esque vocals and the sugar-coated melodies, it would be easy for the album to come across as precious or immature, but its genuineness goes a long way and a cluster of more sophisticatedly atmospheric tracks in its final third help to balance the mood. "Realiti," previously released as a demo, maintains the poppy sheen but revolves around a clear emotional core, Boucher singing airily in the gently propulsive chorus: "Every morning, there are mountains to climb/Taking all my time/Oh, when I get up, this is what I see/Welcome to reality." It's followed by another coolly electronic track, "World Princess Part II," which is just as catchy but less in-your-face, providing the listener a much-needed opportunity to breathe before "Venus Fly," a pulsing female empowerment anthem featuring Janelle Monáe that's club-ready without being generic.
As immediately accessible as much of it is, there is also so much richness and intricacy to admire in the album's production that it is a surprisingly immersive and impactful listening experience. However, I can't place it any higher because it does have a fair amount of flaws: superficial lyricism, pretty but pointless interludes, a track or two that are just boring, and a couple where the experimentation doesn't quite pay off. At the same time, though, I can't place it any lower because Boucher's ambition and passion are as impossible to deny as her choruses.
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