(A slightly edited version of) my review of Marina and the Diamonds' Electra Heart was published in 2012's fourth issue of BULL magazine.
So far 2012 has been quite thin on
the ground in terms of solid pop releases, but Marina Diamandis has
single-handedly put things to the rights with her captivating sophomore LP,
Electra Heart.
This is an album worth investing in
for the puns alone – Marina draws upon self-crafted American stereotypes,
including the Teen Idle (see what she did there?) and the Su-Barbie-A (and
there?). The album’s conceptual basis could be clearer – in the lead-up to
Electra Heart’s release, Marina’s harped on about Greek tragedy, the
disintegration of the American dream, Marie Antoinette, feminism and more – but
the proof is in the pudding.
Whilst promoting her debut The
Family Jewels (she really does love the puns) Diamandis wound up touring with
Katy Perry, who she’d previously described as “very boring”. From there she
turned to the dark side, working with “shitty American pop” aficionado Dr. Luke
and similarly mainstream producers, delivering an album that is as sonically
commercial as it is lyrically left-of-centre. Marina switches between
hard-as-nails (“you say that I’m kinda difficult/but it’s always someone else’s
fault”) and emotionally vulnerable (“don’t wanna live in fear and loathing/I
wanna feel like I am floating”). Similarly, she flirts with the pseudo-dance
that has dominated pop recently, but also takes influence from rock and
balladry. Marina’s operatic upper register floats over gritty synths and
sustained chords alike, while her lower notes are wonderfully raspy.
Though she may be a walking
contradiction, Marina is a fascinating melange of intellect, cultural awareness
and commercialism. Your standard Arts student, really!
