Marina and the Diamonds – Froot

You’d imagine that Marina Diamandis, better known by her stage name Marina and the Diamonds, would know exactly how to cause an uproar in the music industry. With edgy feminist lyrics and an enchantingly eccentric style, the artist knows exactly how to craft an unforgettable song. So, why is it that her music always seems to slip through the popularity net? Perhaps the artist merely tries too hard to be individual. Yet, her 2015 album of pure innovation, Froot, appears posed to finally propel Diamandis to a glistening utopia of victory. 

It’s fair to say that the artist’s 2012 album, Electra Heart, was adequate at best. It relied far too heavily on dance beats to disguise the fact that it was shallow and lacking dimension. Froot, however, showcases a lot more sentiment and does so with a shadowy, stripped-back edge. It can be perilous to modify your image quite so much, but for the Welsh artist it has resulted in something quite superb.

I’m a Ruin will become a much-loved track for many. It peels back the curtains into the artist’s insecurities and allows us to relate to her feelings of vulnerability. Immortal is another equally open melody, with ominous lyrics and an ethereal tone, somehow reminiscent of early work of Kate Bush. This is a sound that really works for Diamandis.

Unsurprisingly, there are some lively tracks featured on Froot, because it wouldn’t be a conventional pop album without some form of nauseating merriment, right? Fortunately, however, these token jovial songs aren’t nearly as sickly sweet as anticipated. The album’s title track, Froot, may be fairly reminiscent of the classic Pac-Man theme music, but the fact that it’s equally as catchy makes it somewhat of a guilty pleasure. You’ll find yourself humming it throughout your day, and while it may drive you round the bend, you’ll be loving every last second of it. Savages adheres to Diamandis’ staple sound and is tolerable to listen to, but sounds like a recycled version of so many of her previous tracks.

Overall, Froot is a exquisitely destructive pop album, poised with profundity, intensity and a more established tone. If all is well with the universe then Marina and the Diamonds will finally receive some more chart-related success with this musical tour de force.

Keira Trethowan

Froot was released on 13^th March 2015, for further information or to order the album visit here.

Watch the video for Forget here: