Grimes : " Miss Anthropocene"

After a month of black metal I need to cleanse the palate with some pop. Grimes has become more well know as Elon Musk's girlfriend in the past year. Lets see if she still has it. It is a darker and more straight forward version of streamlined pop with a 90s influence. There is a trip hop feel. Much like the 90s the songs feel good. "Darkseid" simmers but doesn't connect with melodies as solidly, but has pleasing sounds. She goes a more Miley Cyrus route with the acoustic strum of "Delete Forever" . It is different from and mockingly happy. She coasts along with the airy yet beat driven "Violence".  The album is not devoid of all experimentation. There are moments that do remind me of what I have heard from her in the past,.

With most pop, this album sounds great. The vocal production is top notch and true to who persona. This helps some of the more spacey ballads that are less focused and float off in their own atmosphere. "New Gods" is marginally more focused with a subtle hook. It reminds me of bands like Savage Garden or Everything But the Girl if they were depressed. I am not sure what this sugar baby is depressed about, but she has kept her artistic spark more than I expected. There is more to sink your teeth into with "My Name is Dark". A more tangible bass line to "You'll miss me when I am not around" gives the song a slinky back bone that I began to need from this album. The hints of actual instruments are blended with the other pro-tools smoke and mirrors . It is not also her voice that is flexed , but where she puts the notes she does sing. The hazy glaze of "Before the Fever" shows atmosphere serving the song. 

Some of this might need to grow on me. Like the bulk of my reviews these are my initial thoughts. I have left this album on all afternoon and absorbed it that way. "IDORU" is light hearted and reminds me of Cyndi Lauper. The last song is more guitar centered and brings to mind many 90s Electro hits ranging from Garbage to Elastica. A very sleepy pop . I guess if you are high as hell it is just what your self medication ordered. I will give this one a 9.