‘Art Angels’ Delves Deep Into the Darkness of Grimes

Jordan Bailey

Grimes’ musical style can be described as everything and nothing and almost indescribable. A list of genres and styles categorizing her music could go on and on, that is, if you truly wanted to define it. Though if you wade through all the critics trying to pin her down and slap a label on her, you’ll find that in summation, Grimes represents the future of pop music. “Art Angels,” Grimes’ latest release, rather unconventionally blends pop with, well, weird. In fact, it’s fantastically weird.

“Art Angels” feels as if you’re on this voyage through an eccentric pop-music exhibition. The album starts off with an almost entirely orchestral track entitled “Laughing and Not Being Normal,” followed by “California,” an ethereal diss-track aimed at the Golden State. At the third spot you’ll find “Scream,” a straight up tough track featuring Taiwanese rapper Aristophanes that one could easily envision as the backing to a Quentin Tarantino directed fight scene. Asian culture, particularly that of Japan, has always been an influence for the woman behind Grimes, Claire Boucher. Boucher’s interest in Japan is usually most apparent in her album artwork and fashion sense, though one can certainly hear hints of Japan’s pop-music influences in the “Art Angels” single “Flesh without Blood.” Boucher’s glinty voice blends flawlessly with the beat, the reverb during the hook floating effortlessly through the background. “Easily,” as the lyrics suggest, is “the sweetest damn thing” you’ve ever heard. “World Princess, Pt. ll” has a hint of old videogame synths and Anime soundtracks. “Fly” features the fellow pop-oddity Janelle Monáe in a bouncy, almost club-like track, hypnotic throughout. The album closes with “Butterfly,” the Grimes’ version of one of those top-down summer dance tracks.

“Art Angels” throws about everything a musically-inclined mind could ever imagine. It’s really a look into the mind of a musical genius. The type of genius that unabashedly questions your expectations of her, and then purposely goes the way you’d never expect. It’s simply Grimes being herself… take it or leave it.

Grimes‘ “Art Angels” is available on Apple Music Nov. 6.