Review: Chromatica (2020) — Lady Gaga

OH, shit, it’s here you guys. I’m in absolute shock right now. Last night, of course I stayed up and listened to it immediately when the album dropped in the US. When Gaga said ‘Chromatica’ would be a non-stop dance party, she was not wrong whatsoever. For me, here’s the thing. I think it’s necessary to realize I may be more biased than a regular listener only because this album feels like the peak of a one long adventure for me. I’ve had Joanne and A Star is Born, but y’all know I didn’t love either of those only due to the type of music they each dove into. I’m a big fan of just hard-hitting pop music, the kind that literally transports you to another dimension when you have your good headphones on. So, I went to Spotify, clicked on track #1, and let it play in order (as per Gaga’s request). When I tell y’all I jumped multiple times, I was not READY for this shit. I’ve always known Gaga can make a hit — we’ve seen it all the way back in 2008 — but this album is such a departure for her, one that was needed in my opinion. I feel like with her, she’s constantly had to deal with the constant battle of proving her authentic self. Most people don’t believe she is what she presents herself to be, and ‘Chromatica’ shoves that right in their faces. Almost immediately, her powerful voice booms over this chorus of both symphonic and electronic productions. It’s incredible. Something to note, too, is how the album is set up. Formally speaking, the album has three “acts”, separated each with their own Chromatica interlude. These interludes provide a kind of shift from one section to another through quite beautifully composed music. Each is independent of each other though, presenting their own sound, which I appreciate. Similarly to ARTPOP, there’s a theme of masking one’s insecurities and pain through dance music. We see this especially with ‘Fun Tonight’ and ‘Plastic Doll’. My favorite tracks are currently ‘911’, ‘Alice’, and ‘Sine From Above’, though ‘Replay’ and ‘Babylon’ are up there as well. I honestly just can’t believe it’s finally out. It’s so fucking good. Maybe I’m biased, but who cares. Rating: A+.