Released May 29, 2020
6.5 / 10
Favorites
Alice, 911, Enigma, Replay, Babylon
Least favorite
Sour Candy (with BLACKPINK), 1000 Doves
Lady Gaga refreshes the dance pop she came up to over a decade ago in her new LP "Chromatica"(LG6). Co-executively produced with BloodPop (Britney, Bieber, Madonna, John Legend, HAIM, Grimes, Vampire Weekend, MØ, Swift, BLACKPINK - the roster is impressive) who had crafted Joanne with her as well, the album digs in the 90s house and dance archives to gloss up the pop compositions that make its parts. The duo knew exactly the sound they were striving to create and surrounded themselves with quite the team of EDM and house producers for more ideas and smooth execution, including Axwell, Skrillex, Madeon and Boys Noize. If that wasn't enough, they also enrolled Morgan Kibby to compose 3 orchestral interludes that tie the album together and amplify the cinematic experience that follows Gaga's path to healing. The record is articulated around contrasts, between light and darkness, uptempo sounds and dark lyrical themes (mental health, loneliness, trauma, self-worth - you know, your typical pop-superstardom curses). Gaga has said she wrote her previous project, Joanne (LG5), to try and heal her father before realizing the endeavor was pointless and plunging in depression head first. Writing "Chromatica" was instrumental in bringing her back from the depth of distress back into the light, Gaga says, acknowledging BloodPop's role in pushing her forward as well. Not only did she rise from her own ashes, she also created a world of her own. She cheekily explained in a Zane Lowe interview (March 2020): "I live on Chromatica, that is where I live. I went into my frame. I found Earth, I deleted it. Earth is canceled. I live on Chromatica". On Chromatica, people cope by pushing through sorrow and dancing the pain away. The world's soundtrack is an updated version of Gaga's dance pop sound as she entered the scene, more grave and mature, full of intent and cathartic. Gaga remarkably severs the usual producer-singer ties of 90s house, a relationship traditionally leading to more producer-driven tracks . Instead, on Chromatica, Gaga sounds in charge: her voice commands everything around her, with power and conviction. The irony that a so strong a pivot in favor of a club sound was to climax during a global pandemic didn't escape anyone but Gaga's monsters are holding the fort - playing the album at home on repeat only to request it in crowded bars in a couple of months (years?...) knowing each word and transition like the album was their own.
The first act of "Chromatica" sees Gaga falling into her inner world with the sole task of getting out alive and well. Chromatica I symbolizes a prelude to the journey of healing, hinting at some pending doom but also hopeful - as chords swell and trombones and horns blare across Chromatica's landscape. It leads into Alice seamlessly, decidedly lyrically somber from the opening act. Gaga rises lethargically, "sick and tired of waking up", already thankful for the escapism provided by the type of dance music she's delivering on "Chromatica" ("Maestro, play me your symphony / I will listen to anything / Take me on a trip, DJ, free my mind"). The grit and power of her vocals carry the song, backed by a pulsating house beat and synths. Each part of the track feels perfectly anchored in its fabric, creating anticipation for the next or releasing pent-up pressure satisfyingly. Stupid Love then takes over, with Gaga seeking healing right ouf of the gate ("Heal me if I don't open the door"). She begs for love to free her from shame and pain, in a series of disconcerting shortcuts that give rise to dumbed-down cryptograms - the way she utters "I want your stupid love" sounds like "I want just to be loved" but that might just be hopeful reading on my part. We're thrown into the track with an enthralling beat from its onset, forced to run along its running bass line to triumphant sonic flourishes until we can't take it anymore. The track is extremely draining on the listener - best not to linger here. The following ubiquitous Rain On Me is all about finding solace in the fact that things will always get better if you are willing to put in the work. It's another glittery track, with bubbling keys and percussions, popping all round to an infectious melodic line. Ariana's ad-libs are a bit of a mood kill at times but Gaga's and her voice mesh in so well together that the collaboration still makes sense. The track's Achilles heel is its bridge: beyond the lyrics that some will consider genius and others will discard as ridiculous ("Hands up to the sky / I'll be your galaxy / I'm about to fly / Rain on me, tsunami" - is this a haiku?), Gaga's austere spoken word delivery sounds almost parodic - it might be a way to show she's not taking the song seriously but the intent is too ambiguous not to run the risk of sounding like self-sabotage. In Free Woman, Gaga refuses to re-live the trauma she chose to share with the world to empower other survivors of sexual assault. She expresses not wanting to let the horrific event define her everyday life, choosing to see herself as a 'free woman', liberated from the chains and shackles that come with the denomination of 'survivor' or 'victim'. The track is undoubtedly one of the most empowering, especially considering where Gaga comes from and the demons she's had to face along the way. On her Apple Music Radio gig in which she talks inspiration and development of "Chromatica" (GAGA Radio), she elaborated on the meaning of the track for her, saying it encompasses the emancipation of trans women across the world - a welcome call to allyship for a demographic group that still faces extreme humiliation and violence all over the globe. On the melodic side, it's one of the less exciting cuts on "Chromatica", starting with a lackluster post-chorus and featuring a beat pattern and keyboard that quickly turn stale. Her vocal performance is also a bit uneven, with a penchant for drama that can feel uneasy with the relatively tame backdrop. Gaga is still on the slow ascent out of the depths of her inner turmoil on Fun Tonight, unable to enjoy others' company while battling physical and emotional pain (it's unclear which of Fibromyalgia or her dark thoughts is getting the better of her). This song feels particularly cathartic, especially as the second "I'm not havin' fun tonight" drops and its ripples turn to rolling waves - (rain on me, tsunami) - of EDM blasts. Vocals are on point; she delivers full throttle with all the might she can summon throughout - creating an immaculate electro-pop sing-along bonanza on the same occasion.
Leg 2 of "Chromatica", having acknowledged pain, truly embraces the healing process while accepting outside interventions to help her along. Chromatica II, another interlude of epic proportions, blissfully leads into 911 - much ink has been spilled on the exquisite transition between the two, and I'll add, rightly so. Gaga describes mental health challenges in 911, unable to stop "repeating self-hating phrases" and "shifting to manic places". She shares the role of antipsychotic medication in her life and how beneficial the meds have been for her. The prominent "My biggest enemy is me" hits particularly hard, despite the vocoded delivery that deceptively softens the blow of lyrical content throughout - after all, rule number one of Chromatica is "dance your pain away". The chorus is purposefully full of gyrating synths, congruent with the lyrical context and almost imitating rotating ambulance strobe lights. Plastic Doll propels the listener forward with its rushing bass line shortly after it begins. You can easily guess the song's message from its title and you'd probably be right on the nose. Up until the bridge, the track is a perfectly packaged dance-pop tune, rooted in Gaga's forceful vocal presence. The baffling bridge is a big stick in the mud, unwarrantedly slowing things down. Lyrics here don't help either: no pair of lines on "Chromatica" sound as lazy as "Who's that girl, Malibu Gaga? / Looks so sad, what is this saga?". Nonetheless the track resolves beautifully, coming full circle with the introductory theme. We're led into Sour Candy, a track whose thematic emphasis is hard to tie in with the rest of the record - running the candy metaphor for all it's got, with mentions of unwrapping candy and not-so-subtle innuendos on being "hard on the outside" and "tak[ing] a bite". Melodically, it relies almost entirely on a sample of Maya Jane Coles' "What They Say": it didn't work wonders on Katy Perry's "Swish Swish" and it doesn't do much here either. Weird touches abound on Sour Candy. The song is filled with sporadic muffled screaming and BLACKPINK's Jennie and Lisa "yeah x 5" series are awfully uninspired. The ease with which the girl band alternates between English and Korean is a surprising nice touch - it can take a while to realize you're not listening to English, moments before they switch back. If anything, follow-up Enigma is just as cryptic in intent. Gaga alludes to the idea of having a one-night stand in a cheeky turn that doesn't make a lot of sense when you look back two tracks. She uses some grit with hints of sax in the back, and support from snappy percussions and throwback string patterns. The track gradually builds up, making its listeners yearn for breaking points before handing them over on a silver platter. Replay addresses the form of PTSD Gaga has had to live with for the longest time. I can't help but think that this track would have also been right at home on Dua's "Future Nostalgia" - perhaps a collab remix is in order? Again, the bubbly instrumental reinforces the dark lyrical underpinnings. The chorus in particular sounds nothing short of excruciating ("The scars on my mind are on replay", "the monster inside you is torturing me"). The post-chorus disco groove is a particularly enjoyable part as well.
The final act of "Chromatica" provides keys to ensuring a prosperous future that doesn't compromise Gaga's mental health, essentially subliming pain into joy and turning dust into gold. Sine From Above is as close as we'll get to a ballad on the album. Gaga pays tribute to the healing power of music directly here. Lyrics are simple yet full of evocative imagery (more so than on any other track on "Chromatica"). Building on the sinusoidal representation of sound waves, it all comes down to the lines "I heard one sine / And it healed my heart". Elton acts as an authoritative voice, speaking from experience: "When I was young, I felt immortal / And not a day went by without a struggle. The chorus plays with reverence and an almost ceremonial sound before turning into a flavorless EDM transition into the next verse. Even when they're merely backing Elton, it's hard not to focus on Gaga's vocals. Thirty seconds before coming to a close, keyboards give way to a quick warped passage and a drum'n'bass race to the finish line - a bold and refreshing choice for an otherwise dry track. In 1000 Doves Gaga acknowledges the need for support and outside help as she puts in the work on her end. She promises not to give up on herself and asks the same from those that love her. The message is sweet. The song is not. Vocals, emotions conveyed, melodies, production: they are all so vanilla the track is a hard pass for me. If there is one more recent house trend I was hoping not to encounter on "Chromatica", it was the drab tropical house dance-pop ventures that have been saturating Spotify playlists and radios for a while now - 1000 Doves tries her hand at this contemporary guilty pleasure and the result's not so pretty. Fortunately we end on a much brighter note with Babylon - a song reclaiming gossip and almost celebrating the thing that used to haunt Gaga in a cheeky and silly flourish of a finish. It provides an ultimate example of taking something that caused her pain and turning it into a party. Babylon is Gaga's final victory lap: there are still many challenges to overcome but none too big for her growing field of awareness to take on. The track WILL be a queer club anthem, through nods to the ballroom scene and voguing found in both music and lyrics ("Strut it out, walk a mile / Serve it, ancient-city style" should be taught in school, who's starting the petition?). The play on the sonic similarity between "babble on" and "Babylon" is genius - queen of alliterations. The composition of the track is a big fat generous throwback: full of elegiac background vocals that pop in and out of the musical fabric, fun staccato keys, a tasteful clapping beat, a stern yet playful spoken word delivery and a roaming sax that does its own thing throughout. Only Gaga could make listeners want to travel back to a time and place without running water and a life expectancy of 26 years - yes, I looked it up.
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