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By: Jakesepher Hohenheim | Jan. 29th, 2016
Grimes, born Claire Elise Boucher, a Canadian based record producer and artist released her forthcoming album in November 6th, 2015. (physical formats LP and Vinyl released in December 11th, 2015). Grimes can be described as a cross between experimental indie and synthpop dance music. Unlike her prior albums, “Art Angels” brings a new taste and atmosphere that really shows the evolution of Grimes.
It has been over 5 years since her first release of Geidi Primes and Halfaxa in 2010 and if you go back to listen to her catalog, she has definitely grown as an artist, producer, and musician. Art Angels received widespread acclaim for being a combination of beauty, intensity, and having its gnarly moments. Of course, there are critics who will say she “sold out” to sound like pop music or trying to “reinvent” the pop sound. But if this is a pop album then this is what pop should sound like. Regardless, it is no less than dance music and it is energetic, that’s all that matters.
In this 5 minute short documentary by The Fader, Grimes shows us a bit of her journey in learning how to sing and perform while touring on the Visions (2012) album cycle and how she got started in collaborating with the Taiwanese rapper Phan Wei-Ju in her single “Scream”. She also gives us some insight in her artistic vision and production style. Art Angels brings a very familiar 80’s vibe that rhymes with Michael Jackson, Prince, Paula Abdul, and a dash of Kylie Minogue while maintaining that Grimes style soundscape.
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TOP 3 L0GO5 Favorites:
#1 Laughing and Not Being Normal
This is a great opening track to the album, it starts with this playful string-like quartet accompanied with this distant piano or harpsichord that feels like a piece for a scene where a fairy is frolicking in a meadow during spring. Then half way through it brings into an opera-esque vocalizing by Boucher.
#12 Venus Fly (feat. Janelle Monáe)
An energetic and possible club banger featuring the Los Angeles based Janelle Monáe. I feel you can really hear the crazy layering and production style Boucher brings to her records. And that kicking 808 dancehall beat though!
#14 Butterfly
A catchy melody that sounds like its coming from a mandolin starts off and into one of the more “pop” sounding tracks, it gives an almost Taylor Swift and Lights feel. This is that element I really appreciate about Grimes, the ways of layering synths, vocals, and harmony in a way that creates this soothing ambiance and powerful emotion.
Music videos from Art Angels (2015)
This is probably my favorite music video from the album. What to expect: K-pop, post-apocalyptic Mad Max speeding through the city in Bladerunner turns into a blood rave in the Blade movie. Yeah… gnarly good.
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