Grimes’ highly anticipated Art Angels finally arrived this week, and a piece of art it certainly is. This is the unearthly Montreal-based vocalist’s first album since 2012, but it has certainly been worth the wait.
Art Angels begins in true Grimes fashion, with the first track being relatively experimental before she hits you with her angelic pipes in the second track, “California.”
The song is incredibly catchy and makes you want to dance the second it starts, and its lyrics also touch on a serious issue within the music industry. This issue is the glamorization of depression, and the obsession with using such conditions to exploit and use artists to create music.
The lyrics display a sad but apparent truth with words such as “You only like me when I’m looking sad/I didn’t think you’d end up treating me so bad.” It needed to be said, and Grimes certainly found a hell of a way to say it.
Although “California” brings serious issues to the table, the album as a whole takes a sharp turn in the opposite direction with the next track, “Scream,” which features Taiwanese rapper Aristophanes, and brings back the experimental essence that Grimes has displayed in previous albums.
The majority of this album is quite different from everything else Grimes has released before. One interesting, if not out of place element, is her collaborative tracks. The problem is these tracks seem to be outside of Art Angels’ coherent theme, although the ideas behind Grimes’ albums are not always so apparent.
The more bizarre of these two collaborations happens to be the one with Janelle Monáe, “Venus Fly.” This song is so far out of Monáe’s realm that it is almost uncomfortable to listen to it. In general, the track is odd and doesn’t feel as though it belongs on this album.
Aside from the oddity of the collaborations, this album is very tame stylistically for Grimes. This makes it an easy listen for more pop-oriented music lovers to ease into, as her style is usually eccentric and outside-the-box.
Tracks like “Flesh Without Blood,” “Belly Of The Beat,” “Artangels,” and “Realiti” are not to be missed. Each song tells an entirely different story and shows the amazing depth and range of Grimes’ out-of-this-world vocals.
Art Angels might not have checked off every box it needed to when it comes to making a great album, but it sure came close. It is dynamic and different without being too experimental for mainstream pop lovers. It may not be Grimes’ strongest, but it still resonates and is definitely worth a listen.
