Giving way to the increasing demand of recession pop, or “feel-good” pop, the incomparable force of dance and art pop 14-time Grammy winner Lady Gaga has returned to her roots of inspiration, musical design, and dark image with her newest project “Mayhem.” Five years have passed since her sixth studio album, “Chromatica,” debuted, and within that time Gaga has focused on her acting career—starring in “House of Gucci” and “Joker: Folie à Deux.” Now, desiring to reclaim her spot at the top of the industry, Gaga has drawn on her original sound she became known for, while reinventing and introducing new sounds she has explored since 2009.
“Mayhem” is a dance and industry pop record that utilizes the staples of Gaga’s acclaimed and eminent sound present in her debut album “The Fame.” “Disease,” Gaga’s second single preceding the release of “Mayhem,” is heavily reminiscent of Gaga’s older projects. The opening track begins with her iconic, grungy, rock vocals that then fade underneath the menage of lyrics. Themes of inner conflict with herself and extrinsic forces are explored in this electronic dance music (EDM) track. Continued throughout “Abracadabra” and “Perfect Celebrity,” Gaga pushes her mezzo-soprano voice into raspy high notes coupled with monotone spoken backing vocals. With lyrics like “You love to hate me! I’m the perfect celebrity,” Gaga’s trepidation towards returning to the industry and struggles with fame are traced through much of the album.
Additionally, with this most recent project, Gaga also explores new themes and elements unseen for her music before; Gaga draws a world of true, unconditional love. Gaga introduces a brighter and more upbeat synth to “Mayhem,” weaving in key components of ‘80s disco music. This generates a unique sound that, as per usual to Gaga’s reputation, pushes boundaries of the current music environment. “Killah (feat. Gesaffelstein),” “Zombieboy,” and “LoveDrug” encapsulate the ‘80s inspired music Gaga incorporates in her music. Synthesizers, electronic drums, gated reverb vocals, and instrumental components all create an eccentric modern take on disco pop.
Another new territory Gaga explores throughout “Mayhem” is mainstream pop music styled tracks. “How Bad Do U Want Me” stands out among the tracks for its conformity to pop music conventions. Gaga’s reputation for art pop and consistent boundary pushing sets apart this more basic song. The juxtaposition between her other tracks generates underlying themes of acceptance and peace. With the addictive title-referencing chorus and catchy verses create a song of pure pop perfection.
Gaga’s best and most ‘Gaga’ track, however, is “Garden of Eden.” Gaga has perfected the 2000s EDM tracks along with the more gothic rock, grungy sounds present in other songs, but this song couples them together in the most seamless and compelling way possible. Moreso, Gaga became reputable for her biblical inferences that draw on her Catholic upbringing, not only adding edge but social commentary. This track embodies Gaga’s biblical allusion trademark. The instruments are beat and bass heavy, with Gaga’s robotic auto-tune vocals molding a sassy sound. The pre-chorus includes overlaying to form a church choir effect, and then like the breath before a powerful strum on an electric guitar, Gaga’s voice buzzes into the almost absorbing chorus. This all comes together to make the most intriguing and addictive track on “Mayhem.”
The fault drawn in “Mayhem” is that some songs stay in the safer realm and feel underwhelming. “The Beast” and “Blade of Grass” cannot seem to find where they are going and lack the distinguishable sparkle that Gaga’s music usually has. Throughout the chorus and verses of these tracks, there is a lack of material to grab onto. Although simplicity can be an artistic choice, in these songs it feels unfinished. Both are missing a component to bring everything together.
As someone who started out in classical piano and jazz, Gaga finds distinctive ways to channel this background into her music with each project. The final track on “Mayhem,” “Die With A Smile,” featuring 15-time Grammy award winning Bruno Mars, has amassed over 2 billion streams in just under seven months, and the reason why is blatantly obvious after listening. It is unlike any other track on the album, as it is a ballad, but more than that, it possesses an emotional type of movement interwoven into the lyrics. Gaga and Mars’ vocals blend fantastically, and in this song especially are the standout elements of classical piano such as fastly increasing paced progression, ascension, and riffs.
Gaga stays consistent with her domination of the music industry and ability to create boundary-pushing records. From rock EDM tracks to piano love ballads, “Mayhem” truly has everything. Nearly every song is unique in its own way and channels Gaga’s ingenious musical touch that is present in her lengthy discography. “Mayhem” feels like partying like it’s 2009; truly, Gaga is back.
