Album Review: Chromatica

If there is anything Lady Gaga has taught us it’s to never conform. At the start of the 2010s, she plunged pop culture into a new age with a form of flamboyance that was second to none. Her catchy hooks and punching production were nearly taken for granted until she left them behind for her pink cowboy hat and movie career. Joanne and A Star Is Born proved to give Gaga’s career a new wind following the lukewarm reception to 2013’s Artpop while also reinvigorating the hunger for her pop antics.

When “Stupid Love” leaked in January 2020, it was being played at runway shows before Gaga even got the chance to acknowledge its premature release. The hard hitting, joyous plea for love was masterfully designed to be an earworm, and it signaled the return of pop-glory Gaga. It is hard to separate the song from the hype of Gaga’s return, but when we do, the lead single’s lyricism leaves room for improvement, as the charm and tactfulness of previous efforts is missing (lest we ignore that “Stupid Love” sounds like a bad google translation of “Bad Romance”). Unknown to us at the time, the infectious but simultaneously underwhelming track would a faithful first taste to the record.

Once Chromatica was put back on course following its delay due to COVID-19, the next taste of Chromatica was one of pop’s most exciting collaborations since Gaga teamed up with Beyonce in 2011. The common denominator, Gaga, proves to hold her own on “Rain On Me” with her theatrical vocals that compliment Ariana’s more delicate contributions. The empowering anthem is fits perfectly with the carefree atmosphere that Ariana tried to emulate for 2018’s Sweetener. While the contrast between their vocals is neat, there is a sense that Ariana’s vocals are better suited for the production, whereas Gaga’s boldness seems to be seeking a bigger oomph. Rather than continuing with 80’s synth pop from “Stupid Love”, this second single introduced the most common influence of the forthcoming album—house music.

In an interesting fake-out, the album opens up with the first of three orchestral interludes. It is a stunning cinematic entrance into the world of Chromatica. The first official track, “Alice” is a fantastic 90’s banger and one of the best uses of said house influence. “Can you pull me out of this alive?” Gaga asks, the ambiguity of whether she is asking her lover or herself becomes a prominent theme of the record. Similar to “Rain on Me”s bridge, Gaga’s increasing use of talk-singing is prominent in the second verse and a good set up for the prevalence of this vocal technique. The two singles that follow set up the fast pace of the record, and without looking to carefully into the lyrics, the first half of the record is some of the best pop music in recent years.

However, Chromatica’s lack of ingenuity becomes most apparent during the back to back “Free Woman” and “Fun Tonight”. Both prove to be fine, mid-tempo house tracks, but neither go anywhere particularly exciting in the context of a Lady Gaga record. Gaga’s lyricism, “ I'm still something if I don't got a man” or “I'm not havin' fun tonight”, continues to pail in comparison to some of her best work, but there is a new sense of vulnerability and self-awareness that is admirable.

Luckily things begin to look up with the second interlude and tracks like “911” and “Paper Doll”. While the latter is not a career highlight, it holds its own among the best tracks of this album. The smooth transition between “Chromatica II” and “911” has rightfully gone viral on Twitter. The song’s robotic tonality and funky verses make it feel like it could belong on The Fame in the best way possible, and it proves that Gaga shines the more she leaves the standard pop bubble, perhaps that she built. “My biggest enemy is me” she repeats, and although it is as simplistic as the rest of the album, it’s one of the most impactful lyrical highlights of the album.

The highly anticipated collaboration with K-pop group BLACKPINK lands similarly to “Rain On Me” insofar as Gaga is able to create a pleasant contrast with her collaborators. BLACKPINK sound incredibly smooth and seductive on the verses.The lyrics are heavy on the candy metaphor (“Come come unwrap me”), but by this point in the record there is little need to wish for a lyrical masterpiece.

“Enigma”, like “Alice”, proves to be a more interesting incorporation of the house genre and keeps up the spirit of the record. The stabbing keyboard, sax, and Gaga’s soaring voice during the chorus are a perfect combo. It is clear that her voice has never sounded better. “Replay” is also another highlight, again hitting the best beats of house and vaporwave genres. Gaga’s voice fluctuates beautifully between her nasally register during the bridge and her theatrical vocals of the chorus.

The final interlude is once again an intriguing break from the anthems. “Sine From Above” continues the momentum that built during the second act of the record. Elton John’s contribution does mix as well as the other collaborations of the record, but he does no harm. The 2013-beat drop is euphoric, but it already feels dated. The lyrics are some of the more intriguing the record has to offer, and the theme of music’s saving grace is clear and beautifully stated. By the tail end of the song, Gaga begins to experiment more with an enigmatic outro that leads into “1000 Doves”. Like some other tracks on the album, this one does no harm but also leads us nowhere new or exciting.

Finally, in what may be one of Lady Gaga’s most standout tracks in years, “Babylon” ends the record on a high, joyous note. It is hard to look not notice the nod to Madonna’s “Vogue” (and that may be the point), but Gaga’s monotone delivery accented by a grand chorus, another smooth sax, and the record’s most energetic and creative lyrics lead to house-perfection. It makes you wonder where this type of eccentric songwriting and production was not given to Chromatica’s weakest links.

The toughest part of Chromatica is that it is clearly a foundation for Gaga’s best record. It is a fantastic 90’s throwback record, with clean and crisp production. Her vocals have never sounded more powerful, and there is no doubt that she had a vision and stuck with it. However, there is still a sense that the music can go farther. This may be due to a lack of Gaga’s own hands in the mix. While she is credited as a co-producer on nearly every track on both Born This Way, Artpop, and Joanne, Gaga is oddly missing from every track on this record outside of the interludes. The lows of the album lack the progression, or at least daring wackiness, of Gaga’s previous efforts. The album cover and visuals for the era have Gaga deep into the world of Chromatica—a visual sci-fi heaven—but the music itself feels very much like it is set in 90’s New York. Nevertheless, Gaga is right that she has fought for her dance floor, and her return to it is nothing but good news for pop music.