Art Angels, the fourth album by Grimes, will be released tomorrow (Friday, 6th November) and the opening track of the album has been released today.
laughing and not being normal immediately distinguishes this album from her prior work, opening with a string overture.
Hyped as Grimes’ crossover opportunity, the album features less of Grimes’ high pitched and heavily reverbed vocals, nor does her ethereal synth-pop sound remain.
Art Angels leaked earlier this week to a mostly positive reception. 4AD will release the album physically on December 11.
The lead single, Flesh Without Blood, features pop rock instrumentation and strong hooks.
The more vibrant sound of Art Angels is due partly to the more enjoyable circumstances of its conception, as opposed to the sleep-deprived, drug-fuelled process of Visions: “I was a much weaker person when I wrote Visions. It was a sad record – cathartic, but victim-y. During this album I’ve got control of my music. It feels more developed. On Visions I was still in school, mentally. Since then, I’ve wanted to make something strong and aggressive because it’s more reflective of me,” she told Q.
Grimes employs a new arsenal of instruments, including the violin and the ukulele, in this departure from her distinct brand of electropop. More prominent beats signal the transition into commercial pop territory.
After scrapping an album’s worth of material last year, Grimes has produced 14 tracks, including collaborations with soul singer Janelle Monae and female Taiwanese rapper Aristophanes. Art Angels also includes REALiTi, originally released as a demo from the lost album in March of this year.
Art Angels officially comes out this Friday November 6 via 4AD/Remote Control. Purchase it here.