Grimes has always been somewhat of a shape-shifter. Since she first set fire to the music scene with 2012’s “Visions,” she’s announced her singular identity with genre-defying instrumentals, intricate visual artwork and a full spectrum of vibrant, technicolor hairstyles. (Somewhat fittingly, the cover artwork for her latest album is a cartoonish self-portrait with a long, spindly neck, elfin ears and three giant eyes.) Considering this proclivity towards self-transformation, it’s no surprise that the Canadian singer, producer and instrumentalist, alias Claire Boucher, has chosen to continue her musical evolution with the long-awaited “Art Angels” – a high-energy, surprisingly mainstream release that hit the shelves this past Friday.
Grimes’ latest diverges sharply from “Visions” in many respects, most notably in its shift towards conventional musical styles. Littered with motifs ripped from the current pop canon, “Art Angels” is decidedly more accessible than her previous work – sometimes to a fault. “California,” for instance, is is underlaid by a beat ripped directly from Rihanna’s “Pon de Replay.” When combined with Grimes’ wispy, high-pitched vocals – and stripped of the dark, ambient synths that characterized much of her earlier compositions – it evokes a B-side from Miley Cyrus circa “Hoedown Throwdown,” and not in a pleasant way. “You only like me when you think I’m looking sad / California, I didn’t think you’d end up treating me so bad,” she sings in a saccharine, raaga-inflected trill. In the end, the only quality that rescues “California” from itself is a sense of cheeky disingenuousness, a feeling that the song’s aggressive cheer is an inside joke to be shared by anyone who’s ever been let down by the idyllic promise of the Golden State. The overall effect is at best unsettling and at worst grating. I’m not sure what Grimes is trying to do with “California,” and I’m not sure if I like it.
This is not the first time Grimes has been criticized for diving too deep into the waters of mainstream pop. Many derided her 2014 single “Go” for pandering to the musical center, fishing for the approval of EDM fans with a persistent, clap-driven beat and an aggressive drop. In fact, many attributed her decision to scrap a planned 2014 album to criticism of its mainstream qualities. (In an interview with the New York Times, she simply explained that “it sucked.”) “Art Angels” certainly represents a step in that direction, replete with polished, highly structured tracks that conjure fuzzy visions of pop songs past. “Pin” is rooted in riffs that evoke Australian duo Empire of the Sun, and the album’s title track, driven by bright, syncopated rhythm guitar, could well have been produced by Daft Punk.
But regardless of the influences she might draw from other artists, Grimes is too unique to disappear completely behind a more accessible aesthetic. Her defining characteristics – intricate track looping, esoteric instrumental interludes and, of course, that ethereal voice – remain prominent in the midst of the frenzy that is “Art Angels.” In fact, the album’s finest moments occur when she allows the unique, immutable aspects of her musical identity to crop up in songs that are mostly unapologetic pop.
“Flesh without Blood” – released as the album’s first single – is a slick kiss-off with that could be mistaken for a run-of-the-mill post-breakup anthem from a Demi Lovato or Selena Gomez, if not for her distinctive vocal inflection and an intriguing bridge that makes creative use of vocal looping. And “Kill v. Maim,” a highly structured pop tune driven by a thrumming rhythm guitar and pulsing synths, is made delightfully bizarre by Grimes’ vocal flexibility and aggressive, punky lyrics. Even “Venus Fly,” a percussive, bass-heavy banger featuring bombastic guest verses from Janelle Monae, quiets to spotlight a mournful, unexpected violin verse during the bridge. “Why you lookin’ at me?” she repeatedly questions, her intonation at once delicate and defensive, wispy and wild.
Why are we looking at Grimes? Perhaps because, no matter what guise she might try on, this category-defying musician is impossible to ignore. She might try to speak the language of other artists, but her voice is unmistakably her own. Save for a few missteps, “Art Angels” is an ambitious, high-voltage release that is often a whole lot of fun to listen to. What elevates it from nice to notable are her quirks – her musical indulgences, her production risks, her stylistic whims. Grimes is taking a distinct step in the direction of pop, a shift that could considerably increase her accessibility and broaden her audience. As long as she doesn’t fully shed the qualities that make her special, this metamorphosis could work.
Contact Clare Flanagan at ckflan ‘at’ stanford.edu.