Grimes, despite her continued controversy in regards to her interpersonal relationships (namely Elon Musk and Azealia Banks), has a history of making incredibly enjoyable music.
I personally started listening to her in my Sophomore year of high school and still listen to her newest releases on the same day they’re released. Her music is incredible despite it not being to everyone’s taste. My favorite album from her discography has always been her Art Angels album from 2015; I cannot overstate just how stunning each song in this album is.
The album is a gorgeous combination of pop beats with futuristic synth, with Grimes’ pitched and shifted vocals overlapping each other, the beats perfectly timed to accentuate the sound of her voice. There are also a few artist features on the album that enhance it all the more, with Janelle Monae and Aristophanes on a few tracks, the listening experience is made even more enjoyable.
When it comes to the actual quality of the songs within the album, I cannot reiterate enough just how nice of a listen the album is. Grimes has gorgeous vocals, her voice is delicate and light and it feels almost decorative in a way. Her voice floats over the music and coats it like delicate lace; I truly believe that this album is one of the best representations of her vocal talents to date. The first song on the album, “laughing and not being normal,” is orchestral and stunning; I would honestly say that it sounds as if it should be in Swan Lake or another classical ballet. The song ends with Grimes falling into a beautiful falsetto that is bracketed by intense, dark synth as the song wraps up.
Her next song is far more upbeat. “California” starts off strong and continues to be a strong track on the album. It has a high BPM and sounds like a more generic “radio pop” song, but something still sets it apart in a way that’s difficult to quantify. The lyrics are stunning as well, and I’m sure anyone who had a bad breakup can relate to them! The next one up after “California” is the first song on the album I would consider truly “out there.” “SCREAM,” featuring Taiwanese rapper Aristophanes rapping over an intense guitar track, with Grimes’ distorted screams echoing in the background during the chorus. I absolutely adore this song for how intense it is, and it’s one of my favorites, but it’s one of her lesser-known songs for a reason.
To avoid giving away too many of the album’s secrets, I’ll only elaborate on my personal favorite tracks from this point onwards!
The track “Realiti” is another extremely powerful piece from the album and had been originally released as a solo track before being added to Art Angels. Her voice is light and delicate, floating over the background track as synth sounds pepper her vocals, focusing your attention on the appropriate spots and working in tandem with her vocals to create another stunning piece.
Another personal favorite of mine is her song “World Princess part II,” and, to avoid gushing over this song for another four paragraphs, I’ll try to keep it simple. The lyrics are my favorite part of this track. I have no idea what relationship she’s discussing here, but the lyrics “I know most likely, how I used to be a frail and silly thought in your mind,” and “But I can see something more, than the things you’d try to take, now who made a mistake, don’t you cry,” are extremely emotionally evocative to me. It just feels like a song that you’re meant to listen to and reflect on, and I think it’s incredible.
The final song I’ll discuss is the closing track to her album, “Butterfly.” This is appropriate, considering it’s also my personal favorite song from the overall album. I think that it’s a good opener to Grimes’ music as a whole, so if you’re looking for a starting point, I would suggest dropping in here. It’s easy to get into with a light, infectious beat and cute lyrics that hold a deeper meaning when you sit and listen to it a few times in a row. If your music tastes tend to stray towards the “mainstream” (which is more than fine, I’m no indie-snob) then I think that this is a light, easy to listen to track that’s an excellent start to Grimes’ music.
So, at the end of the day, I cannot recommend Art Angels enough. It has a good mix of more experimental tracks and songs that are easier to listen to for the less adventurous. If you ever find yourself wanting to see what the hype around Grimes and her music is, Art Angels is a terrific starting point!