Tinashe - Popstar
“Don’t fall in love with a popstar”, Tinashe says — but it’s hard not to on this album.
Tinashe’s eighth studio album Popstar is many things, but one word that can never be used to describe it is boring. The sixteen-track LP creatively blends together a wealth of genres, sounds and deliveries, and produces an overall body of work that remains intriguing from start to finish.
Tinashe herself comes into this album as a performer as confident in her artistic identity as ever, bringing plenty of unique charm and charisma to every track and making them come to life. Her versatility and use of a large variety of vocal tones and cadences, oftentimes combining and juxtaposing diametrically different deliveries within the same song, adds an extra layer of creativity and variety to the record, boosting the listening experience significantly. Her more singing-focused performances are particularly excellent, connecting very well on songs like “Empty Stadium” among others. There are also plenty of strong choruses, such as the one on “I’d Rather Be Alone” or the title track, “Popstar”.
But the element that truly makes this album stand out is the production. The instrumentals are experimental at many points, but the experimentation feels earned and natural; the unorthodox production or structuring choices almost all hit, making the album sound mesmerizing. There are quite a few moments that really stand out – for example, the switch-ups on “Melatonin” are executed brilliantly, and the dark, rolling synths in the background of the aforementioned “I’d Rather Be Alone” are resonant and make the track really atmospheric. The percussion is hard-hitting throughout, with the drums oftentimes placed high in the mixes to maximize their impact and make it almost impossible not to nod your head along to them.
The second half of the album does trail off somewhat compared to the first, with the title track and “Cloud 9” being the only major standouts after “Crash Out” at the halfway point; nonetheless, the other tracks aren’t weak by any means – they just don’t quite hold up to the very high standard set by the opening stretch. Overall though, the level of the songs throughout the record stays pretty high – even the shorter, interlude-like tracks serve their purpose and are executed well. “Overdramatic” in particular leaves the listener almost wishing it could’ve been longer, managing to pack a punch even despite its more than concise forty-four second runtime.
Overall, “Popstar” is Tinashe at her best – confident, charismatic, versatile and catchy, with strong vocals and an effortless, carefree attitude. She’s also supported here by some of the best-produced instrumentals of her career, creating a glitchy, upbeat atmosphere that it’s hard not to get lost in. The record shows that, well over a decade into her career, Tinashe is anything but complacent, still prepared to continue evolving and advancing her artistry.
8.0/10
