We thought it’d be postponed. We thought we’d be hit a blunder. We thought we were alone… but Gaga just saved summer. That’s exactly what I was chanting just before this release But thank God, serving us a 16-track LP, filled with gothic undertones and a 2000s rave culture aesthetic, Gaga’s dystopian release sees her extending her artistry work to bring new life and hope into 2020. Delivering all of this through hot pink leotards and 19 inch heels by the way.
I have to credit Gaga’s ability to reinvent herself for every era before continuing. I’ve loved the pre-album roll-out and she really is an artist who manipulates the globe through her image – even now with her new galactic spaceship sound. So, please join me on a comprehensive and opinionated review on the world of ‘Chromatica’.
The album consists of three orchestral interludes, splitting up the tracks through wandering transitions. After the first soundscape, we have Alice. Paying homage to Alice in Wonderland, Gaga appears to be searching for her identity. She states she ‘keeps looking for wonderland’ and wonders if someone could ‘pull [her] out of this alive’. The lyrics are minimal, but the production is vast and full of synths, giving off a trance-like feeling, creating a haunting yet dreamy atmosphere. It feels like we’re on a journey through her mind, constantly falling down the rabbit hole with her. The track is beautifully unsettling, like an invitation to explore a world that is both unfamiliar and exciting. A bold opening that sets the stage for the wild ride to come.
We’re then immersed into the hit single which we have all learned to love, perhaps stuidply, Stupid Love. This track is the ultimate dance anthem, yet it’s so much more than just a club hit. Devoted to the anxious journey of finding love, it taps into that deep yearning we all feel, even in the midst of joy. The pounding space rocket showcases Gaga’s electronic dance past, proving her legacy as a pop icon is here to stay. The song’s infectious chorus invites us to lose ourselves on the dance floor but also acknowledges the chaos that comes with being in love. It’s a complex juxtaposition which actually makes it an cult classic.
In a similar tone and with the collaboration of a lifetime, Rain On Me sees Gaga and Ariana Grande spill their hearts out on a high-spirited dance classic. A message of resilience, rising above hardship, and letting the storm pass, this track has powerhouse vocals that create an electric mood transcending into an anthem of female empowerment. The sheer joy coming from the song is palpable. It’s a celebration of survival and strength, proof that when two musical forces combine, the result is explosive. The two bad bitches have just claimed song of the year.
We hear a lot of individuality in Free Woman, a track expressing Gaga’s artistic intent within the music industry. Her lyrics ‘I walk the downtown, hear my sound’ strengthen this notion, marking Gaga’s strong declaration of independence. The pulsating synths add an 80s aesthetic, combining with Italo house chords in the chorus. The track is a strong expression of confidence and liberation. It’s an anthem for anyone who’s ever felt trapped by expectations, with the beat acting as a reminder that freedom is just a few steps away. This track really snatches wigs on its first listen. How long before they do a lip-sync of this on Drag Race?
We then get our first glimpse of Gaga’s creative experimentation on the album from here. Fun Tonight explores happiness with the lyrics ‘I’m feeling the way that I’m feeling, I’m feeling with you’. Yet, just as we thought this track was an elevating dance release with a presumed dancey post-chorus, we’re met with the bombshell lyric ‘I’m not having fun tonight’. In a dramatic turn of events, the song continues into the second verse and we uncover a deeper meaning and we soon learn the troubles of facing fun, whilst understanding the catharsis of letting go. A cheery façade to some deep lyrics.
Immersing us into a somewhat robotic style of this LP, Gaga really said gay rights with 911. This track has a heavy robotic, industrial-like sound, creating a detached quality that mirrors Gaga’s inner turmoil. The dark production emphasises a sense of isolation and confusion, making it one of the most powerful on the album. It’s raw, vulnerable, and introspective, showing a real vulnerable side of Gaga; a side that is agile and in need of healing.
The same intensity is also clear in Plastic Doll, where we hear technological influences within the Harijuki-inspired sound. Gaga values her preservation in this song, saying ‘I’ve lived in a pink box so long, I am top shelf, they built me strong’, with artificial sounding vocals. The distorted vocals in this one highlight the feeling of being trapped in a manufactured identity, critiquing perfection and the cost of being molded for public consumption.
But hey, satisfied with the dance-classics? Too bad, because Sour Candy is no exception to the vibe. Giving us the first collaboration between Gaga and South Korean girl group BLACKPINK, this one is a heavily auto-tuned and deep house number. It devotes itself to finding true colours and Gaga’s vocals take centre stage in the chorus. Definitely one of the loudest tracks on the album.
Enigma is a mystic release with lyrics such as ‘mystery man’ and ‘woman phantom’, adding uncertainty to the vibe. The track evokes the feeling of being trapped in a mystery, unsure whether you’re being drawn in or running away from it. Groovy house beats and Gaga’s vocal range create a mesmerizing experience, pulling you deeper into this uncertainty too. It’s hallucinating upon first listen but is really filled with gorgeous chords that highlight Gaga’s insane vocal range.
The deep, levelled-up house production follows in Replay, a cyclical piece about recalling the past unwantedly. Gaga plays with her own anxieties and battles with herself here, stating ‘the monster inside you is torturing me, the scars on my mind are on replay, r-replay’. Creating an experience that is equally haunting and loopy is a real unique method here. Same girl, same.
Now here’s the problem. Love Gaga, love Elton. But Sine from Above is their first collaboration and, may I say, it just misses the mark.
This collaboration was insanely hyped-up but is totally and critically underwhelming, sorry. The lyrics are simple, it lacks personality unlike the rest of the album and Elton John is totally out of his depths. They duet ‘I heard one sign from above, then the signal split in two, the sound created stars like me and you’. Unfortunately, the stars like me and you doth butter no biscuits, Gaga. We expect a timeless collaboration, but we instead get Bulgaria’s Eurovision entry. I’m glad there were some hard-hitters before this to make-up for it though.
Thankfully, 1000 Doves restores my faith in humanity. Gaga speaks to us and draws comparisons to our own lives, initiating that new beginnings are progressive after healing, claiming that ‘in life, waiting’s just a stupid game’. It’s a perfect “moving-on” song which is progressive and endearing.
And then finally, we’re blessed with the outro that is Babylon: a fierce, catwalk-ready anthem that rivals Madonna’s Vogue. It’s the high-fashion, high-energy finale we’ve been waiting for on this release. With insane energy and attitude, it’s everything we love about Gaga, wrapped in a powerful and fabulous package. Though, I do wonder how one “serve[s] it ancient-city style”.
Honestly, this release was wildly varied and such a rollercoaster. I was determined to love this and I was not let down. The aesthetic Gaga had opted for is both so niche and so understandable at the same time. The production and raw sound straight from the 2000s give off major club vibes and just leaves me saying: “Gaga babe, you’ve aced it with this one”. Get me to Pryzm.
Glerbie 