--Ada Wofford
Coldplay—Orphans
A bouncy Paul Simon-esque bass line scampers through Coldplay’s always shimmering guitars. Chris Martin’s voice is what you expect but a little lower, a little looser; bringing me back to the only Coldplay album I don’t have to qualify by describing as a guilty pleasure, Viva la Vida. To compliment the Simon-esque bass is a vocal sample of, “Boom Boom Ka Boom Ka” reminiscent of the MIA sample on Vampire Weekend’s “Diplomat’s Son.” And rounding it all off is an ethereal vocal effect during the chorus that immediately brought me back to Panda Bear’s Person Pitch but also oddly reminded me of Childish Gambino's, "This is America." Coldplay’s been touting their new material as experimental and while I can’t say I agree with such an extreme term, “Orphans” is definitely different from the Coldplay you remember and it’s definitely different in a good way.
Coldplay—Arabesque
This track is quite dark for Coldplay and possibly one of the coolest songs they’ve made (but we all know that bar is set pretty low). Haunting horns bellow out a jazzy funeral march that forces you to sway right along in mourning with them. The track has this kind of chunky steadiness to it that doesn’t go anywhere but it doesn’t get boring either. Martin’s voice is in its lower register, which is where it should be in my opinion cause it sounds great, and there’s a bit of mischief in his timbre as well. The best part is the extended sax solo that really cuts loose. It’s one of those songs that sounds like it came from another place and time but a place and time of its own creation. I think I’m confusing myself… Anyway, listen to both tracks below.
Comments