Karla Rendon
News Editor
Vancouver-based experimental-electronic pop artist Claire Boucher, better known as Grimes, released her fourth full-length album, “Art Angels” Nov. 6.
Grimes has been an underground pop princess among the Tumblr crowd, and her music has been adored for its lush synthesizer and falsetto singing.
“Art Angels” is a mind blowing effort that offers diversity for each track and sounds more polished than her previous work.
The new album shows maturity in Grimes’ music and clearly shows how sophisticated the production of the album was, compared to her 2012 album, “Visions,” where she used GarageBand to record the entire record.
In addition to her polished production, Grimes’ singing has improved immensely as she enunciates her words more when she sings. In her previous songs, Grimes would “baby talk” her lyrics, making it difficult to understand or sing along. In “Art Angels,” the lyrics are clear and her singing is crisp, offering fans an easier opportunity to sing along with her.
The 14-track album greets fans with a repellent introduction song, “laughing and not being normal.” The tune features an ambient beat that can fit in perfectly with “The Nightmare Before Christmas” soundtrack and has Grimes singing with her iconic, high-pitched chops.
Listeners should not be discouraged by the first track, however. The second song off “Art Angels,” “California,” is an upbeat pop song that welcomes fans to enjoy a taste of her previous efforts.
Despite the catchy tone “California” sets, the lyrics express the distress the Golden State has given her. With lyrics such as “California, you only like me when you think I’m looking sad / California, I didn’t think you’d end up treating me so bad,” the song is probably a reflection on her recent residence in the state.
One of the album’s singles, “Flesh Without Blood,” offers an energetic dance aspect to “Art Angels.”
It has been received warmly by fans and offers a strange but light-hearted music video divided into two acts that mimic Shakespearean style plays.
Compared to the demo version, the studio version of Grimes’ other single, “REALiTi,” lacks the liveliness that embodied the demo.
With her singing more crisp and clear in the studio version, Grimes made a good decision to keep the same synthesizer sound that completed the demo. “REALiTi” is the cherry on top of the “Art Angels’” cake.
“Art Angels” offers diversity, maturity and a polished production that old fans will appreciate and dance anthems that can attract new fans.
“Art Angels” is available for purchase on iTunes and in store.
Karla Rendon can be reached at karla.rendon@laverne.edu.
