Art Angels
by Grimes
  • Record Label: 4AD
  • Release Date: Dec 11, 2015
User Score
8.8

Universal acclaim- based on 996 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 912 out of 996
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 996
  3. Negative: 52 out of 996
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  1. thaleslucas
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    By far this is the best album that Grimes has created in her career.

    Creatively, with a great production and well-directed composition, Grimes knew how to involve and bring darkness to an alternative pop and that's wonderful. Moreover, she knew exactly how to fit the tracks in your sequence to keep simple, observant, dark and catchy at the same time. It's noteworthy amazing tracks    By far this is the best album that Grimes has created in her career.

    Creatively, with a great production and well-directed composition, Grimes knew how to involve and bring darkness to an alternative pop and that's wonderful. Moreover, she knew exactly how to fit the tracks in your sequence to keep simple, observant, dark and catchy at the same time.

    It's noteworthy amazing tracks like "REALiTi", "Venus Fly", "Butterfly" and "Kill V. Maim" which have, by far, the best plot of production and development.

    Finally, there is nothing to complain about something that's so amazing. Grimes finally arrived in a goddess level, surpassing her previous album "Visions".    … Expand
  2. kjhkjhk
    Feb 23, 2019
    10
    So complex and and the sounds are so euphoric. Most of the time the listener would have to categorize the mood of the song and associate it with a very specific frame of mind or feeling and then listen to it when only in that mode. But with Grimes the songs just blow past the listeners understanding of breadth of emotion. Each track is so beautifully composed and evokes anger aggressionSo complex and and the sounds are so euphoric. Most of the time the listener would have to categorize the mood of the song and associate it with a very specific frame of mind or feeling and then listen to it when only in that mode. But with Grimes the songs just blow past the listeners understanding of breadth of emotion. Each track is so beautifully composed and evokes anger aggression as well tranquil peace. It sounds so unfamiliar which is what brings me back to it again and again. I love the use of various instruments and the fact that she produced it all by herself?!! **** AMAZING… Expand
  3. joaofelin
    Jul 16, 2017
    10
    Laughing and Not Being Normal -
    California - 10
    Scream - 10
    Flesh Without Blood - 10
    Belly of the Beat - 10
    Kill V. Maim - 10
    Artangels - 10
    Easily - 9
    Pin - 10
    Realiti - 10
    World Princess Part II - 10
    Venus Fly - 10
    Life in the Vivid Dream -
    Butterfly - 10

    score: 9,9
  4. indiegirly
    Jan 3, 2023
    10
    This is one of my favourite albums ever because the music is so catchy and colourful. Every song just bursts with personality!
  5. stabmyface
    Nov 6, 2015
    10
    This is an absolutely fantastic record and 100% recommend it to any who enjoys this type of electronic, synthpop style. All the songs are sooo catchy and perfectly placed. Laughing and Not Being Normal is an incredible, (and her best), intro, and Butterfly beautifully wraps up the album. Go buy it!
  6. Archios
    Nov 12, 2015
    10
    D.I.Y.: This is what Grimes is. For the first time in four albums, Claire accepts the reality and embrace it with so much optimism, that when you first listen to the record you will probably not recognize it as a Grimes' album. I believe that this is what she always tried to do: an album with her deepest happiest feelings, even if they are not about good experiences.
    "Art Angels" is an    D.I.Y.: This is what Grimes is. For the first time in four albums, Claire accepts the reality and embrace it with so much optimism, that when you first listen to the record you will probably not recognize it as a Grimes' album. I believe that this is what she always tried to do: an album with her deepest happiest feelings, even if they are not about good experiences.
    "Art Angels" is an outstanding album about an artist that make music for herself. From the critical lyrics of "Flesh without Blood" to the deep emotions of "World princess part ii", everything is about knowing the true Claire Boucher of Vancouver. It's a self-portrait of an artist that saw your fans turning their backs over her when she released a song (and yes, I'm talking about "Go") that was unusual to her repertory.
    Although it may sound a little selfish, it is the pure truth. I don't know if every song in the record is about her but does it really matter? We all have feelings described in at least one song. "Art Angels" captured the elementary things of being human: the flaws, the desires and the thoughts. However, it's a real pop album. Musics are catchy and are really easy to listen. It's weird of course, after all we're still talking about Grimes. Maybe that is why after all these years of pop culture being just pop, the album still so unprecedented.
    This is what dark and beautiful should be. This is what I want to hear from the new "pop" artists. This is evolution, creativity and pop. The references are there, a great artwork is there, Grimes is there; wrap it all up and this is Art Angels. An album of a truly D.I.Y. artist.    … Expand
  7. TrentRey
    Nov 6, 2015
    10
    It have been years since pop artist/producer/singer/songwriter came out with an album. This is a long-waited album. This is probably the weirdest pop album ever, but the weirdness of the album makes it good. The tracks for the album are by far, the best she ever produced.

    The album version of "Realiti" sounds better than the one she released earlier this year on YouTube. The song is a    It have been years since pop artist/producer/singer/songwriter came out with an album. This is a long-waited album. This is probably the weirdest pop album ever, but the weirdness of the album makes it good. The tracks for the album are by far, the best she ever produced.

    The album version of "Realiti" sounds better than the one she released earlier this year on YouTube. The song is a great song to dance to and sing alone to (if you know the lyrics).

    One of the most catchy song on the album is a song that features Janelle Monáe. "Venus Fly" is an outstanding song with a strong noisy beat. Even though she repeats herself though the entire song, it's a great song and one of the best on the album because of the noise-pop, weird electronic beat.

    This albums sounds like a combination of music that would be in an Japanese anime series and in a JRPG game.

    Scream is another weird track on the album that features Tai rapper, Aristophanes. The lyrics are hard to understand but the track overall, sounds good and fits the theme for the album.

    "Kill V. Maim" is a track where Grimes sounds like a character from an anime singing. It sounds really weird and if you were to bump this in your car very loud people would just shake their head at you. The weirdness of this song, like most of the songs on this album, sounds very good.

    "Flesh without Blood" is the highlight song on the album. It has the best songwriting and it's the only track where it's easy to understand what she's saying. Even though the track is still noisy, the her lyrics are easy to understand.    … Expand
  8. GuilhermeBrusch
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    Simplesmente maravilhoso. A ascensão synth pop de Grimes, com toques county, sem deixar de lado seu experimentalismo, formando uma mistura perfeita, e maravilhosa de se ouvir. Com duas participações mais que perfeitas, posso dizer que o Art Angels está entre uns dos melhores álbuns desse ano.
  9. Mistylicious
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    This alongside with Carly Rae Jepsen's E-MO-TION are what pop albums should be. A consistent and conceptual body of work, with a clean production and catchy melodies.
  10. michaelm93l
    Nov 15, 2015
    10
    After listening to this album 9 days straight I'm still not getting bored, the most freshest album I've listened to all year if not the past couple of years. I can't wait to see her play these songs live when she comes to Dublin. Congrats Grimes you made something special and deserve all the acclaim.
  11. transfinissa
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    Está incrível! Esse último álbum mais animado superou minhas expectativas e também de vários fãs. Uma overdose de batidas maravilhosa, letras ótimas e muito bem produzido.
  12. theZED
    Nov 6, 2015
    10
    A great solo endeavor with brilliant production quality. Complex but immaculate layering and many subtle sound effects are what every track is composed of. You will definitely notice the versatility of Grimes here in this joyful, euphoric album.
  13. frandecurgez
    Nov 9, 2015
    10
    I cannot believe this album. I cannot stop listening to Art Angels. Actually, i can believe it. Grimes proves once more how incredible she is. Every song in Art Angels is amazing. And what is even better, it makes me wanna dance wildly.
  14. fabricioedwward
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    Melhor álbum alternativo do ano!! O som soa como algo que nunca ouvi musicalmente falando.. Grimes sempre vem inovando com seus álbuns cada vez mais. Fico feliz em ver que veio um trabalho um pouco diferente do VISIONS.
  15. forcis12
    Nov 8, 2015
    9
    I am new to this genre of pop music. I accidentally stumbled upon Grimes a couple of years ago and I can't get enough. This album is pure Grimes. There are a few killer tracks that I will probably listen ad nauseum. The sheer amount of effort and thought put in to this album is worth the purchase. It still blows my mind Grimes is a solo endeavor.
  16. samusabino
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    Este é álbum é simplesmente maravilhoso, um grande avanço na carreira da Grimes.
    Não é como seus antigos álbuns, "Visions" ou "Halfaxa", cujo ambos são bons, mas este novo álbum os superou
  17. Evic21
    Nov 9, 2015
    10
    I thought it unlikely that she could make an album that is better than 'Visions"; however, after listening to each song on the album, I can't find any filler or songs that didn't fit. In general this album is a very dramatic statment. It screams that Grimes is an independent artisit who has full creative control over every move she makes which makes her a valuable woman in thisI thought it unlikely that she could make an album that is better than 'Visions"; however, after listening to each song on the album, I can't find any filler or songs that didn't fit. In general this album is a very dramatic statment. It screams that Grimes is an independent artisit who has full creative control over every move she makes which makes her a valuable woman in this cut-throat, sexist industry. You go girl. Keep it up.… Expand
  18. RoosterJuice
    Nov 12, 2015
    10
    WOW! What an interesting style! Incredibly simple melodic hooks with a ton of depth. Metacritic lists the genre as Indie rock, yet Google Music lists it as Dance / Electronic. They are both right and both wrong. Very rarely there is a musician who creates accessible pop music, but is actually an artist. Robyn is a good example of this... Grimes is another. Love it.
  19. chippythekid
    Dec 20, 2015
    9
    OK so Grimes is an amazing artist. When the first track comes on I was immediately pulled in, the opera-like singing is very melodic and beautiful and has me humming it all day. This album has many different styles and every song you get something different but yet still exhilarating. Also the Janelle Monae and Aristophanes features are great. By far Art Angels is one of the top 5 albumsOK so Grimes is an amazing artist. When the first track comes on I was immediately pulled in, the opera-like singing is very melodic and beautiful and has me humming it all day. This album has many different styles and every song you get something different but yet still exhilarating. Also the Janelle Monae and Aristophanes features are great. By far Art Angels is one of the top 5 albums of the year.… Expand
  20. Mad-Hatter
    Nov 12, 2015
    10
    Visions was neutral for me (it was good but I don't like that music genre) but this album is more "Pop" than Visions and I like better than genre. Art Angels is a strange album, but it is still a good and surprisingly catchy! SCREAM and Kill V. Maim are my favorites. Production, composition and vocals, perfect.
  21. SimonHend
    Nov 19, 2015
    10
    The first time I heard Flesh Without Blood, I was a bit scared Grimes had gotten all poppy. I really loved her album Visions, so I hoped she did not leave everything behind of what she did on Visions. But oh my, after a few listenings, I fell in love with Art Angels. Such a perfect mixture of her crazy, weird, lovely sounds and perfect lyrics. This is going to be a keeper. This deservesThe first time I heard Flesh Without Blood, I was a bit scared Grimes had gotten all poppy. I really loved her album Visions, so I hoped she did not leave everything behind of what she did on Visions. But oh my, after a few listenings, I fell in love with Art Angels. Such a perfect mixture of her crazy, weird, lovely sounds and perfect lyrics. This is going to be a keeper. This deserves several rounds of applause.… Expand
  22. htaia
    Nov 9, 2015
    10
    Grimes acertou em cheio, o álbum é consistente, coerente e possui uma boa produção synthpop. Claire nos trouxe um álbum completamente viciante e certamente um dos melhores álbuns de 2015. Destaques: Kill V. Maim / Venus Fly / Life in a Vivid Dream / Flesh Without Blood
  23. DigitalWitness
    Nov 10, 2015
    10
    Grimes has shown to the world she has the power to make a great pop album without going full mainstream, the tracks are all flawless and the collabs are rather than perfect!
  24. justgetfit
    Nov 14, 2015
    10
    This is pretty insane amazing. Grimes has taken her sound to a whole new level. I've been listening to this album start to finish since it came out. Go Claire!
  25. fangirlingtani
    Nov 15, 2015
    10
    Art Angels is full of light, colour, and all round buzzy-ness. It is the foreground stunner of her collection as it demands your attention and releases a sheen of euphoric hums and drums. It is very obvious that the elements of what makes Grimes "Grimes" are still present.
  26. juanca
    Nov 8, 2015
    10
    Is very different to Visions and her other artworks, but is very cool, magic and I love all of the songs. I really Love Halfaxa, Geidi Primes and Visions but this is so glorious.
  27. WXYZ
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    [A] phenomenal album. Grimes sounds a lot better, and the 1st song is one of the best intros I have ever heard. P.S. I pretty much prefer this version of REALiTi than the demo.
  28. Buzz37
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    Her best album by far. The songs are connected and in a simple way it all makes sense and works like Visions and Halfaxa should. Best tracks: SCREAM, Flesh Without Blood, Kill V. Maim, Artangels, Pin, World Princes part II, Venus Fly and Butterfly, but the entire album deserves a listen.
  29. fieri
    Nov 6, 2015
    10
    The entire album is crafted to perfection. The opening, middle and all the way through to the close is an electronic masterpiece. It's the perfect sequel to Visions, and displays development in production on Grimes' behalf, truly worth the way. It's fantastically odd.
  30. maurili00
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    Literally, angelic art. This album represent what Grimes is and wharwhat she came for. Great to see great pop anthem in this album without her losing identity.
  31. jvictorfoz
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    Just perfect,nothing more to say. Grimes managed to surprise everyone with a perfect album,right after her acclaimed "Visions". There is much to expect from this canadian singer,producer,multinstrumentalist
  32. yurialcantara
    Nov 7, 2015
    9
    After her transcending breakout album 'Visions' back in 2012, Boucher has been talking to a whole internet generation whose interests are pretty much represented by her music, which incorporates both the underground and the mainstream, and seems to be following a progressive path into pop music, taking steps that shows her growing ambition, and 'Art Angels' is Grimes' ultimateAfter her transcending breakout album 'Visions' back in 2012, Boucher has been talking to a whole internet generation whose interests are pretty much represented by her music, which incorporates both the underground and the mainstream, and seems to be following a progressive path into pop music, taking steps that shows her growing ambition, and 'Art Angels' is Grimes' ultimate acknowledgement embracing it.
    Claire Boucher is one of a kind. She is dedicating herself to the fullest into her art, writing, producing, and playing every single instrument on this record, she also designs her album covers and coreograph her performances. 'Art Angels', plays both sides as a proper album and as a tool to not only the female empowerment itself, but specifically as a self-empowerment of the persona Grimes.
    This record is filled from top to bottom with colorful and happy vocals and lyrics. It is kind of a girlish album, but i still doubt about saying it when i look at its cover and the gender ambiguity of the angelical-alien characters that it portraits. I can't see a male or a female, but the intersection of both. A genderless state of being. So it would be wrong to affirm that this is a feminine record. But despite of it, the 'girlish' lyrics becomes the exact spot where the most defiant aspects of this record resides, and that is what makes it such a mighty self-empowering statement that borders the political.
    This record offers an extremely wide variety of sounds. There are sounds for every tastes, and made from anything. You can easily find a hand-clapping or an anime-manga sound effect, some piano pop notes, a mesmerizing line of beats and a surreal electronic atmosphere created by guitar strings that sounds like lasers.
    One of the biggest characteristics of Grimes is her ability to morph her vocals, and on 'Art Angels', Grimes' vocals are totally explored and stripped out, going from kawaii-ish falsettos to guttural screams, like in the tracks 'Kill V Maim' and 'SCREAM', to be specific. This last one features taiwanese rapper Aristophanes. On 'Visions', her vocals were often shyly hidden behind tons of sharp electronic beats, but now, they are clearly in charge, leaving a trace of artistic boldness that prints this whole album.
    The sharply refined production is one of the best things about this record. Is very clear how it sounds fresh, solid and polishly noisy, a pleasant and subtle dullness that would not fit 'Visions', technically speaking. The whole mixing process and blending together all these sounds, must not have been easy, and when you think about it, its even more impressive. The lead single 'Flesh Without Blood' is a great example of that: its a piece of pop vocals immerse in an electronic background but the beat is determined by massive drums and guitars, something Grimes has never done before.
    What really makes 'Art Angels' stand out from Grimes' previous albums is that the electronic layers of the songs are almost all behind this new and fresh pop appeal made from strings and drums. Its a new structure in which the songs are built in. The self-titled song 'Art Angels' exemplifies it when a ghostly choir vocal echoes under such a delightful pop arrangment that reminds a lot of Bleachers' soundscapes.
    The electronic elements starts to rise slowly from the gorgeous pop ballad 'Easily', which contains a very catchy mellow solo of synths, and in the finished version of 'Realiti', that became kind of a surprise, given the clear difference from the demo to the album version, specially the vocals, that were slightly modified to fit the child-ish main character of the record, and a more electro-synthpop arrangement gives it a rythym that flows softly into an invitation to dance, and you cant resist it. Although both versions are equally great, the demo may steal the spotlights a bit for sounding way too refined to be just a demo Grimes recorded.
    What a delightful surprise was to know that Janelle Monáe would be collaborating on the track 'Venus Fly'. It is likely to be the warm-up to the climax of this record, that stands somewhere between this, to the triumphant closing track 'Butterfly'. Grimes shows us the depth of her being like she has never done in any record, and she does it with a high-tempo happy pop beat with sugar on the top of it. Its sleek and efervescent joy creates a cage of electronic synth-pop beats in which you should totally wrap yourself in and dance until death.
    'Art Angels' is Grimes' most democratic record to date, its variety of songs allows that anyone can find at least one song that they might love. She undeniably went pop, but she did it without losing her main essence, and enabled the listener to go inside of her head, flirt with her emotions, fears and strengths, and stating that she is in the total fullness of her girlish blooming.    … Expand
  33. igormoota
    Nov 9, 2015
    10
    Um megamix de synthpop, k-pop e country que deu super super certo. A singularidade e a essência das músicas e da voz da Grimes não se perdeu durante o álbum, que sem dúvidas, é o melhor de toda a sua carreira.
  34. jhunterparrish
    Nov 16, 2015
    5
    I don't have much to say. I listened to the album several times, and I tried my best to let it grab hold of me. I just couldn't get into it. I love Grimes. I love Visions, Halfaxa...pretty much anything else she has put out. I was disappointed. No edgy weirdness. Bland, poppy tracks that seem to run onto each other. If this is her direction moving forward, so be it. As an artist she hasI don't have much to say. I listened to the album several times, and I tried my best to let it grab hold of me. I just couldn't get into it. I love Grimes. I love Visions, Halfaxa...pretty much anything else she has put out. I was disappointed. No edgy weirdness. Bland, poppy tracks that seem to run onto each other. If this is her direction moving forward, so be it. As an artist she has the right to take her music in whatever direction she wants. I was just super bummed. It's just such a far deviation from the Grimes I grew to love and appreciate.… Expand
  35. itsvictornunes
    Nov 6, 2015
    10
    Um dos melhores álbuns lançados esse ano, a nova versão de Realiti ficou muito boa. É um álbum que te leva numa viagem psicodélica e grotesca maravilhosa.
  36. MorningLiang
    Nov 9, 2015
    10
    This album is absolutely one of the best in this decade. You can really hear how Grimes care about her music. I cannot imagine how much efforts she put in making this album so good. It's mature but fun: crazy but in the control; smart and so sexy. The details are so subtle and so powerful. I am so glad to have her in the music industry today.
  37. jacobryan14
    Nov 8, 2015
    10
    Different to any other music at the moment, every song sounds different and each song has a deeper meaning and is possibly the best album in her discography! The album goes in a more pop direction rather than the experimental music she has been making in the past
  38. RafaEmidio
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    One of the best albums of the year alongside Carly Rae Jepsen's EMOTION and Lana Del Rey's Honeymoon. I've been waiting for Grimes new record for a long time, and i'm not disappointed.
  39. CharlieGray
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    This album is a complete masterpiece, incredible record. It just couldn't been better, this is Grimes at her best. My favourite album. Complete blown away.
  40. diegonelli
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    YAAAAS GRIMES QUEEEENNN i waited 2 long 4 this album and its fantastic i loved every fukkin song specially kill v maim - realiti's album version - world princess pt II - butterfly. they all fantastic, i loved how grimes tried new sounds and new style, she progressed as an artist, grime's the queen of electronic
  41. sebastianglz
    Nov 8, 2015
    10
    Compared from its previous work, "Visions", this album is less dark and more funny and happy, it doesn't loose Grimes' weird sound and lyrics. This is an amazing record, especially if you're ashamed of listening to the bad produced top 40 songs, because "Art Angels" is absolutely well produced.
  42. Muddsjr
    Nov 7, 2015
    8
    Grimes' long awaited follow up to her much loved Visions is generally more high spirited and the mysterious aura that alienated her sound is reduced greatly with the mainstream accessibility.
    At the same time, the commerciality doesn't destroy anything either. Art Angels is mostly success, with few mis-steps and disappointments.
  43. erimelro
    Nov 9, 2015
    10
    Um álbum inteligente que é super pop e super alternativo ao mesmo tempo. Com tantas referências advindas do som experimental, punk rock, K-Pop, country, video games, mangás, entre outros, Grimes consegue entregar um álbum complexo e profundo recheado de emoção, eufórico e melancólico, com faixas cheias de camadas de instrumentos e voz. Ah, e ela fez isso tudo sozinha!
  44. Onoros
    Nov 7, 2015
    9
    Probably her riskier effort, but it surely pays. This may be somewhat a new sound for her, but you can still hear Grimes in every song. Claire playing with "pop" melodies and structures may scare her oldest fans, but what she did here, is something solid and refreshing.
  45. AndTeslu
    Nov 9, 2015
    10
    O álbum é realmente muito bom. Traz o que já conhecemos da Grimes ao mesmo tempo em que nos mostra um cenário totalmente novo. Ela quebrou as barreiras do que todos achavam que ela era capaz de fazer para criar um álbum que ao mesmo tempo que é pop, também remonta ao estranho que está presente em toda sua carreira. Como ela deixa claro em sua composição, não é um álbum que qualquer um vaiO álbum é realmente muito bom. Traz o que já conhecemos da Grimes ao mesmo tempo em que nos mostra um cenário totalmente novo. Ela quebrou as barreiras do que todos achavam que ela era capaz de fazer para criar um álbum que ao mesmo tempo que é pop, também remonta ao estranho que está presente em toda sua carreira. Como ela deixa claro em sua composição, não é um álbum que qualquer um vai ouvir e gostar se você está acostumado com Halfaxa e Visions, você tem que abrir sua mente antes de ouvi-lo. Se você gosta de uma garotinha sonhadora, triste que produz música estranha que ninguém vai querer ouvir, bem, Art Angels não é pra você. É uma verdadeira revolução no que a Grimes faz, e sem dúvida um grande evolução como artista. Ah, sem contar que ele foi escrito quase em totalidade por ela e conta com a primeira faixa que ela produziu completamente sozinha, Scream. Palmas pra Grimes, ela realmente merece.… Expand
  46. wtfmath
    Nov 10, 2015
    10
    Uma explosão de ótimos instrumentais e letras estupendas. Produção incrível e impecável; Grimes apresenta um descontraído álbum, porém super consistente. Deixa a bixa fazer o pop feliz dela! Excelente álbum, um dos melhores do ano.
  47. nikola_koda
    Nov 8, 2015
    10
    I love completely 14 tracks that are in the album, is very different to her other albums, but is ok, is good and is an albums that sounds very happy :D
  48. JuanSebastian
    Dec 16, 2015
    8
    I'm a grimes fan since the exotic Visions was released and all can say about Art Angels is that I'm fully grateful for this piece of art. Of course this is not as similar as her older stuff but I think it works in terms of her style. Maybe it's a little too pop for her but it's not a 1989 (Taylor Swift) so I'm glad about that. The production also is satisfying. I can't decide on which isI'm a grimes fan since the exotic Visions was released and all can say about Art Angels is that I'm fully grateful for this piece of art. Of course this is not as similar as her older stuff but I think it works in terms of her style. Maybe it's a little too pop for her but it's not a 1989 (Taylor Swift) so I'm glad about that. The production also is satisfying. I can't decide on which is my favorite track, by now I'm obsessed with Flesh Without Blood, Realiti and Kill V.Maim. Go ahead and listen Art Angels, it's definitely not a waste of your time.… Expand
  49. Ipodee78
    Dec 10, 2015
    9
    Art Angels is clearly Grimes' most accessible work but it's also her best. Not intended to sell truckloads or pander to rotation on radio, the album is what Grimes does best - electronic dreampop. This is what's absent in music today, the cookie-clutter pop that dominates our lives. She dares to go where few goes, the extra mile to play and experiment with the parameters of pop music andArt Angels is clearly Grimes' most accessible work but it's also her best. Not intended to sell truckloads or pander to rotation on radio, the album is what Grimes does best - electronic dreampop. This is what's absent in music today, the cookie-clutter pop that dominates our lives. She dares to go where few goes, the extra mile to play and experiment with the parameters of pop music and the results are stellar. If Go had ben on it, this would be a perfect 10.… Expand
  50. stfuadam
    Dec 16, 2015
    10
    Grimes really came out of nowhere and surprised everyone with this album. I really wasn't expecting something like this. 0 fillers. NME named it Album of the Year, and it's easy to see why.
  51. LegendaryMau
    Nov 30, 2015
    10
    It’s slick and gritty, fun and funny, and horrifying and grotesque all at once. It will also make you shake your ass like nothing else. Masterpiece in 14 tracks.
  52. JVictor18
    Nov 25, 2015
    10
    Melhor álbum da rainha sim, as viúvas do Visions que aceitem logo. Tá cheio de hinos e eu não paro de ouvir desde que lançou, inclusive, Grimes é fanha.
  53. jlnorden
    Feb 15, 2016
    10
    This is probably the best "pop" album that's been released. The entire album will make you feel and burst of energy that you never knew you had. Songs like "kill v. Maim" prove that Grimes is one of the most unique artist around. Even the two reprise/intro are amazing. Every song goes together without going to far and sounding the same.
  54. ojeda
    Dec 14, 2015
    9
    A definite masterpiece that demonstrates an artistic, satisfying, cohesive and pretty much fantastic take on pop, just only as Grimes could do it. This album really shows her immense growth from her two first mix tape-like albums and her solid 2012 breakthrough, Visions. Unlike her last effort though, Art Angels blasts with never-heard-before vocal strength, excellent production with a newA definite masterpiece that demonstrates an artistic, satisfying, cohesive and pretty much fantastic take on pop, just only as Grimes could do it. This album really shows her immense growth from her two first mix tape-like albums and her solid 2012 breakthrough, Visions. Unlike her last effort though, Art Angels blasts with never-heard-before vocal strength, excellent production with a new and vast direction for her by the use of guitars, piano and fresh electropop/dance vibes, and incredibly catchy melodies, all while keeping her usual dark, high quality and powerful lyricism. Basically a highlight of the year and a huge step forward!… Expand
  55. atmosphericrex
    Feb 14, 2016
    5
    I think that at the end of "Visions" there were two paths Grimes could take with her music. She could advance her use of arpeggiators and other electronic textures and continue to exist in the vein of indie pop, or she could create more accessible tracks that would appeal to a wider more mainstream audience. I feel like she chose the latter with "Art Angels", which is fine, just notI think that at the end of "Visions" there were two paths Grimes could take with her music. She could advance her use of arpeggiators and other electronic textures and continue to exist in the vein of indie pop, or she could create more accessible tracks that would appeal to a wider more mainstream audience. I feel like she chose the latter with "Art Angels", which is fine, just not really my scene. This album has a couple of really addictive tracks like "Kill V. Maim", but it is lacking the certain je ne sais quoi that "Visions" possessed that made it so appealing to me. Art Angels is a really good album, just not for me and not in the direction I wanted it to go.… Expand
  56. andrew260z
    Nov 18, 2015
    7
    This is by no means Grimes' best work but it is an enjoyable pop / synth slightly underground album. I've had this on high rotation for a week and overall am enjoying it but its not as good as Visions was. I think if your a Grimes fan its a must buy and she has one of the most amazing female vocals out there IMHO, however if you are not a pop music fan you might just find that this isn'tThis is by no means Grimes' best work but it is an enjoyable pop / synth slightly underground album. I've had this on high rotation for a week and overall am enjoying it but its not as good as Visions was. I think if your a Grimes fan its a must buy and she has one of the most amazing female vocals out there IMHO, however if you are not a pop music fan you might just find that this isn't your cup of tea. Realiti is a good track, I also found SCREAM to be enjoyable.… Expand
  57. HolyFloWelch
    Nov 30, 2015
    10
    Art Angels is made of the same dark candy, with even more weird and wonderful flavour combinations. I began to think of songs as three-minute gobstoppers in which layers dissolved unexpectedly.
  58. williansimao
    Nov 23, 2015
    10
    Art Angels is the best work of Grimes. All I wanna do is dance and shake my ass. By far, one of the best albums of the year. Emotion, Vulnicura and Art Angels are the Holy Trinity of 2015.
  59. Metayerju
    Dec 28, 2015
    9
    Great Alternative pop. Good to ear from first listening. Having listed to her previous records, i trust this one is best so far. Looking forward to see her in concert soon in Singapore
  60. gabrielfobico
    Feb 28, 2016
    9
    This is incredible. A great-produced album with great lyrics, Art Angels can capture happiness, anger, fun, all in order that fell perfectly well. With catchy songs like Kill V. Maim and Flesh Without Blood, wisely chosen as singles, Grimes level up, reaching a new level for the pop and women in the music industry. Other highlights go to the album cover and the song Venus Fly. Grimes canThis is incredible. A great-produced album with great lyrics, Art Angels can capture happiness, anger, fun, all in order that fell perfectly well. With catchy songs like Kill V. Maim and Flesh Without Blood, wisely chosen as singles, Grimes level up, reaching a new level for the pop and women in the music industry. Other highlights go to the album cover and the song Venus Fly. Grimes can do it all: producing, singing, composing... she's the full package.… Expand
  61. longjetty7
    Nov 8, 2015
    9
    Art Angels is really the antithesis of Visions. Whereas Visions was very one dimensional, introverted, and other worldly, Art Angels is rather eclectic, energetic, and more grounded in reality. I think both albums are great, but the fact that they're so different shows just how versatile of a musician Grimes is. With Art Angels she's really outdone herself in pretty much every wayArt Angels is really the antithesis of Visions. Whereas Visions was very one dimensional, introverted, and other worldly, Art Angels is rather eclectic, energetic, and more grounded in reality. I think both albums are great, but the fact that they're so different shows just how versatile of a musician Grimes is. With Art Angels she's really outdone herself in pretty much every way possible: songwriting, vocal delivery, instrumentals, production... It's all extremely well executed, and what's even more impressive is that she made this entire album by herself! I can't think of many solo artists who are able to pull off an album as good as this entirely on their own.

    The standout tracks in my opinion are Flesh Without Blood, Kill V. Maim (The absolute best song I've heard this year. Seriously, it's incredible.), Realiti (obviously), and Venus Fly. Usually albums with 14 songs have a lot of filler, but for the most part the songs are very memorable and all have their own distinct character. And even though there a bunch of different styles, it flows together well and makes for a very cohesive and extremely engaging album.    … Expand
  62. Brunswicker
    Nov 7, 2015
    9
    The first time I knew about Grimes was when her 'Visions' came out. I found it way ahead of its time, very gloomy and mysterious, every track was structured in a innovative way, but the most characteristic thing about it was the ethereal-chorus-like vocals on it, defining her style at the time.
    As anyone, I thought 'Visions' was a masterpiece and it was going to be hard to Grimes to make    The first time I knew about Grimes was when her 'Visions' came out. I found it way ahead of its time, very gloomy and mysterious, every track was structured in a innovative way, but the most characteristic thing about it was the ethereal-chorus-like vocals on it, defining her style at the time.
    As anyone, I thought 'Visions' was a masterpiece and it was going to be hard to Grimes to make something better, because the album was so unique, making me think "Hey, maybe it was just luck".
    And my suspicions were turning more predictable with her posterior releases *hum* Go, this dubstep-EDM-trap-like Rihanna's rejected song, making everyone believe Grimes went mainstream, even when she scrapped her album due to the reaction of critics and fans, even if she negates that (thing she did.)
    And after some forgettable things, she released 'REALiTi', a demo which made everyone to have faith again in her. And then Grimes was more active than ever, saying that her new album was more playable, that was the first that did not made her cringe at hearing it, that it was more happier and angrier, and that she was reconsidering in putting 'REALiTi' in this album.
    And here we are, 'Art Angels' is a thing.
    When she premiered 'Flesh Without Blood', I didn't think the fans reactions would've been so separated. To me? It is a banger. Maybe one of the best pop-rock teen-like songs I have ever heard, say what the people say. The difference between this and 'Go' is that this song is actually organic and has life in ir. It's just a fun song.
    And, for old fan's sake (I believe), 'SCREAM' was released. And that was all. I was 100% to her new thing, her new style, though there were just, like, 3 songs (including that 1-minute song).
    And, hell yeah, I was right. 'Art Angels' is the bomb. It is, ugh, flawless (almost everything). It has this J-Pop meets russian orchestras meets punk meets baby voice vibes. The songs 'Kill V. Maim', 'Pin', 'World Princess, Pt. II', 'Venus Fly' and 'Butterfly' ( this track is a fave) confirmed that Grimes is capable to re-invent herself doing a bold-enjoyable alt-pop without giving a **** about whatever anyone will say about her (just look some Reddit posts). Nothing about to say about her new album. It seems that Grimes is evolving as a whole, and here's here to ****ing stay.    … Expand
  63. coure
    Dec 22, 2015
    3
    I have seen many reviews written off immediately by fans of this album as just butthurt fans who wanted another Visions, but instead got something much more uplifting and self-aware when they weren't necessarily ready for it. Let me just say this: I'd give Visions around the same rating as I give this album, with the only difference being that Visions had some very beautiful andI have seen many reviews written off immediately by fans of this album as just butthurt fans who wanted another Visions, but instead got something much more uplifting and self-aware when they weren't necessarily ready for it. Let me just say this: I'd give Visions around the same rating as I give this album, with the only difference being that Visions had some very beautiful and magnetizing tracks, special with a unique sound and voice - despite being very few and far between.

    Art Angels was different to me in that I'd put none of these tracks in that boat, that being said, a majority of them are "good," and worth listening to more than once. The interviews I've read where she discusses this album have led me toward a feeling of murkiness. She cites her feeling of empowerment from deliverance of fear as the reason for why her lyrics are more intelligible, however, are they even worth being heard this time around?

    She explains that she now feels she has something to say, but she is simply speaking through self-proclaimed alter-egos.

    She also mentioned one of the worst songs on the album being "sonically uncool" on purpose.

    I have to wonder why someone with such power/control over their image would waste an opportunity to make and release something reflective of their abilities, intentionally "uncool" (or in this case bad.)

    Overall, my main gripe with this album is the gimicks detract from her ability, I believe, to be viewed seriously, especially now that it's obvious that she doesn't really give a darn about making music that is good, and is just trolling people.

    On a more illogical note: her voice became extremely annoying in this album. Sounds like a chipmunk half the time, and she over enunciates a lot of words that she normally does not, which I felt like removed me from the listening experience.    … Expand
  64. holysiafurler
    Nov 12, 2015
    10
    Simply put, this is the best album of 2015. Boucher has outdone herself in almost every regard. Despite being her most accessible work to date, Art Angels is in no way less enthralling, captivating or twisted than Visions. The guest appearances from Aristophanes and Janelle Monáe are welcome additions, and add depth to the album as a whole. It is almost as if they represent the duality ofSimply put, this is the best album of 2015. Boucher has outdone herself in almost every regard. Despite being her most accessible work to date, Art Angels is in no way less enthralling, captivating or twisted than Visions. The guest appearances from Aristophanes and Janelle Monáe are welcome additions, and add depth to the album as a whole. It is almost as if they represent the duality of Grimes - Aristophanes' manic, frightening and chaotic vocals remind listeners of previous music by Grimes. Monáe presents the side of Claire which she started to delve into on Visions - the educated, voraciously independent, unabashedly female pop star.… Expand
  65. andrewh3340
    Nov 9, 2015
    10
    This is the first Metacritic rating I've ever written. I wrote it because this album merits it.

    Don't behave. Buy this album.

    You have to stop expecting a sequel to Visions. Grimes won't conform to your expectations, and that's the whole point. Just open your mind and experience the future of pop.
  66. ReubenIsAGod
    Dec 29, 2015
    5
    Yeah, its a pretty average album. I mean, if anything this is basically just a so-so pop album with a few nice catchy hooks and some kinda nice beats. But like AOTY materiel, nah. Its definitely got some catchy songs on it but it ain't nothing special. I can only really remember abut 2 or 3 tracks from this thing. So yeah, i mean if u liked it u liked it, but not me.
  67. quotes
    Dec 7, 2015
    10
    This album is wonderfully bizarre! Grimes put many things in “Art Angels”: different music genres (mainly synth-pop, electronic and rock), catchy melodies and her unique style. The tracks make you get into the universe of the album and you cannot get out of it, singing and dancing with the upbeat ones and thinking deeply with the slow ones. The lyrics go pretty well to the Grimes’ vocalsThis album is wonderfully bizarre! Grimes put many things in “Art Angels”: different music genres (mainly synth-pop, electronic and rock), catchy melodies and her unique style. The tracks make you get into the universe of the album and you cannot get out of it, singing and dancing with the upbeat ones and thinking deeply with the slow ones. The lyrics go pretty well to the Grimes’ vocals and the melodies, showing clearly the album’s concept, what is pretty good because the most artist make this mistake (particularly in this kind of music), when the songs get lost in the album and they aren’t connected. Grimes has shown she is a complete artist and, perhaps, this is one of the best albums in 2015.

    Listen to: Flesh without Blood, Easily and Kill V. Maim.    … Expand
  68. Ryanpereira
    Nov 22, 2015
    10
    Melhor álbum da fanha. Em Art Angels encontramos uma Grimes mais "comercial", melódica, que mostra sua potência vocal e o quê quase não teve nos álbuns anteriores: composições! Beijos viúvas do Halfaxa, Geidi Primes e Visions, mas principalmente pra você que reclamou quando ela lançou "Go". Beijos pra VOCÊ que quer escutar ruídos só pra se sentir diferente e especial. Meu recado pra vocêMelhor álbum da fanha. Em Art Angels encontramos uma Grimes mais "comercial", melódica, que mostra sua potência vocal e o quê quase não teve nos álbuns anteriores: composições! Beijos viúvas do Halfaxa, Geidi Primes e Visions, mas principalmente pra você que reclamou quando ela lançou "Go". Beijos pra VOCÊ que quer escutar ruídos só pra se sentir diferente e especial. Meu recado pra você que disse que ela perdeu sua identidade: SE FUDEU.… Expand
  69. legendarysia
    Dec 11, 2015
    10
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  70. JesusKuyoc
    Nov 15, 2015
    10
    What I love the most about this album is the coherency that goes with it, every single song it's interesting and keeps you waiting for how the next song will sound like, just incredible.
  71. electrolite
    Dec 6, 2015
    2
    It is really hard to see how people give up their distinctiveness and unicity to be just another pop star. Of course Grimes will get an army of new fans, dozens of producers, great quality of recording and all other **** pop celebrities have nowadays. However, I am an old fan and I'm feeling betrayed.
  72. Zimbardo
    Nov 7, 2015
    8
    Pretty solid work by Claire. This is a far more radio-friendly album so those looking for the experimental sound of earlier albums may be disappointed, but this is top notch work which reflects an ability to create diverse tracks while hanging onto what makes Grimes Grimes.

    And lets all breathe a sigh of relief that this album didn't end up being full of tracks like "Go".
  73. nirvanafreak
    Nov 9, 2015
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Favourite Songs: Laughing and Not Being Normal, Flesh Without Blood, Easily, Pin
    Least Favourite Songs: World Princess Part II, Artangels
    I'm struggling to understand why this is already one of the highest user reviewed albums of this year on metacritic, with mainly 9s & 10s out of 10. Sure it's good but it's not a **** masterpiece- if I really hated the **** like I did on the first couple of listens it would be very easy to rip into it. Luckily I like it. The album opens up with my favourite track 'Laughing and Not Being Normal'. Putting aside the highly relatable title, it's a great orchestral opener; the only problem being its short length. Weirdly this intro doesn't really introduce the album that well at all- an album full of sweet k-pop like melodies and standard electro-pop production. Now that doesn't sound all too promising, especially since a lot of artists have been jumping on that nostalgic electro-pop/synth-pop wave recently to little effect but it's alright on this record. I mean the production definitely isn't better than the production a lot of these artists have, in fact it's the main thing that puts me off the album at points, but some of her melodies are just unbelievably catchy and her lyrics still have enough edge to let you know this isn't Grimes cashing in and going full on mainstream. Even when I was going through a period of hating the album songs were getting stuck in my head. I'm glad I didn't leave this alone after the first listen it really took a lot more to unwrap in my opinion which is strange considering people are calling it her most accessible work to date. Maybe it is and I'm just a retard.
    Better Than Previous Project?: Yeah
    Try This If You Like: Emotion by Carly Rae Jepsen    … Expand
  74. jtx
    Nov 7, 2015
    7
    Grimes' new album isn't excellent, it's a step back from Visions and her albums before that. This is not because it is poppy, it's because the heart and soul of her previous music was intertwined with raw weirdness. Instead of spontaneous creativity and surprises we get a collection of very structured, meticulously produced pop singles.

    This should not be heralded because she's now a    Grimes' new album isn't excellent, it's a step back from Visions and her albums before that. This is not because it is poppy, it's because the heart and soul of her previous music was intertwined with raw weirdness. Instead of spontaneous creativity and surprises we get a collection of very structured, meticulously produced pop singles.

    This should not be heralded because she's now a "Pop Goddess" because she already was 4 years ago. Nor because this is clean, catchy, polished, and perfectly tweaked and written, or as many said earlier, similar to Carly Rae Jepsen. It's a great album, but it's not her best nor one of the best of the year. She has so much more potential.    … Expand
  75. robozot
    Feb 15, 2016
    2
    I really liked Visions, but this is an undecided move. Whatever made her last album so wonderful, its spaciness, odd hooks, and atmosphere, has been replaced with amateur hour theatrics and a lot of squirelly warbling. It's just bad. She's a unique musician, but she should get a good producer if she wants to come any further.
  76. RiotFish
    Nov 8, 2015
    3
    Don't get me wrong, I love Grimes just as much as the next guy. Visions was a well-nuanced, sophisticated electro-pop record that stands among the best of the new millennium. After hearing rumors that Clair Boucher may be making a mainstream pop record after the release of her single "Go"--rumors that were eventually proven false--I really didn't shrug a shoulder.

    That is, I really    Don't get me wrong, I love Grimes just as much as the next guy. Visions was a well-nuanced, sophisticated electro-pop record that stands among the best of the new millennium. After hearing rumors that Clair Boucher may be making a mainstream pop record after the release of her single "Go"--rumors that were eventually proven false--I really didn't shrug a shoulder.

    That is, I really didn't care if she took her music in a more accessible, radio-friendly direction or if she just continued plumbing the depths of witch-pop weirdness.

    On first listen, this is a mind-boggling record, for the simple fact that at alternating times it sounds like a mainstream pop record and at others--well, like the quirky synth stuff we'd expect from Grimes. The irresistibly catchy clap-along "California" is followed by "SCREAM," a song in which Clair doesn't really sing but just breathes really hard to a sinister bass-line and, at the end, incorporates what sounds like a synthesizer performing an actual human scream. It's like FKA Twigs and Death Grips decided to team up, I suppose.

    The record maintains its inconsistency throughout, throwing radio-friendly pop songs at us and glitchy, oddly-textured electronic numbers in between. Which is NOT a bad thing, in and of itself. What makes this record fail, however, is its failure to pursue its equal sides of weirdness and accessibility to their extremes. What we're left with is a mishmash of 14 songs we want to call "brilliant" as a whole because there's so much to digest it seems impossible to diagnose on first listen--but is instead composed of songs that really don't sound one way or the other; there are needless sound FX and utterly masturbatory arcade-ish electronic blips thrown into the accessible tracks just to give them 'experimental cred' and there are moments of weirdness that just don't go anywhere interesting.

    Furthermore, most of the accessible tracks on the album don't even feature very unique melodies (which is something Visions had). Songs like "Flesh and Blood" and "Reality" just leave me thinking, 'hey, that melody sounds familiar, where did I hear that?' because the choruses, despite being very layered and complicated and using lots of fade-in fade-out techniques--really don't have substantial melodies buried within them; they just have a LOT of sounds going on to give you the illusion there's something more there.

    Overall, it just doesn't seem like Art Angels knows its identity; it straddles a weird line between accessibility and weirdness in a way that doesn't really seem to embrace either extreme and just ends up sounding like overtly maximal, sugar-coated indie-pop at the end of the day.    … Expand
  77. qwerewolf
    Nov 9, 2015
    1
    I envy someone who can offer this artist praise and support on a personal level. Given that privilege, I would probably lie and do exactly that upon hearing Art Angels. Instead I have numbers and obscurity. Aside from "World Princess Part II," listening this album makes me feel small indeed. "Fan alienation" is moot -- there's no exchange between these realities. I'm in the demo camp.
  78. badalbum
    May 10, 2016
    0
    Terrible album. Does not deserve the critic praise that it has received. Sounds like basic pop music to me. Album is 0/10 don't argue with me. Bad album.
  79. asjklasjklas
    Nov 8, 2015
    8
    Claire Boucher AKA Grimes has enough idiosyncrasies to consider even her most musically polished, poppy, and, dare I say, feminine music to date unconventional by any musical standards, as her hotly anticipated Art Angels completely diminishes every single ethereal, experimental 'bedroom'-esque quality inhabited on her earlier releases in favor of a straightforward and streamlined soundClaire Boucher AKA Grimes has enough idiosyncrasies to consider even her most musically polished, poppy, and, dare I say, feminine music to date unconventional by any musical standards, as her hotly anticipated Art Angels completely diminishes every single ethereal, experimental 'bedroom'-esque quality inhabited on her earlier releases in favor of a straightforward and streamlined sound reminescent of J-pop, pop rock, power pop, and contemporary pop music from the early '00s. And while it's mostly a success on Boucher's end of the table, maintaining an accessible yet alien approach throughout, Art Angels also doesn't have any surprises similar on scale to 2012's Visions and certain tracks almost anonymize both her production and vocals, which can be largely dependent on that seemingly signature weirdness Boucher has been acclaimed for since the beginning.

    The carefree country music twang of "California", Taiwanese rapper Aristophanes's bubbly, cutesy Mandarin Chinese raps vs. Grimes' growly screams on "Scream", Grimes' continued screams and addictive K-pop flavored chorus of "Kill v. Maim", or Janelle Monáe turning grrrl power up to over 9,000 on the abrasive "Venus Fly"—Grimes obviously hasn't allowed Art Angels to fully submerge into the sugary sweet tropes that commonly overpopulate such a commercial genre. Then again, it's not safe to say that about all of it: "REALiTi", which receives one of the most unwarranted, unwanted, and unnecessary remakes of 2015, was already a near-perfect pop song and is an example of how Boucher's capable of rendering her uniqueness virtually mute on certain tracks on Art Angels.

    The disappointment in the abandonment of the experimental electronic soundscapes cascading on her earlier releases could've been compensated for had Boucher's many opportunistic quotes regarding Art Angels—how Visions and her lead singles are substantially less creative, how one song is supposed to be about a gender-bending space traveller Al Pacino, and that the album was full of diss tracks, none of which are noticeably true yet—only to raise expectations to a criminally lower degree of fulfillment. The overall outcome can't be correctly calculated because it'll assumingly divide her target demographic; it's an immediately effective pop album that still starkly contrasts the pop of today and yet it completely dumbs itself down when you compare it to her earlier releases and realize they too similarly had that effect, only on music altogether. I imagine that's an admittedly stubborn critique and Art Angels may gradually grow on me within the next few months or maybe even days, but it's one I can confidently cast out for now.

    Overall rating: 7.7    … Expand
  80. KriticalChaos
    Nov 13, 2015
    8
    Before I start, let it be known that I am new to Grimes.

    So I heard Flesh without Blood while browsing through Youtube and was impressed, so I decided to check out the rest of the album. I was not disappointed. Grimes' free and unrestricted style is a breath of fresh air in a world full of tight, over-controlled music. The unapologetic swagger she presents herself with is amiable, as    Before I start, let it be known that I am new to Grimes.

    So I heard Flesh without Blood while browsing through Youtube and was impressed, so I decided to check out the rest of the album. I was not disappointed. Grimes' free and unrestricted style is a breath of fresh air in a world full of tight, over-controlled music. The unapologetic swagger she presents herself with is amiable, as you can tell she is just creating what she feels, not conforming to any standard. Being someone who likes to know the lyrics to what I'm hearing, I was a bit put off, but I guess that's sort of part of the journey, filling in the blanks yourself.

    There are many shining tracks on the album, but Flesh without Blood(a big F U to anyone who would diss the new style), Kill V. Maim(very catchy abstract tune), and REALiTi(basically about seeing the beauty in life) are the real gems here, while California and Art Angels fall short(as well as Scream in my opinion just because I have no idea what's being said.)

    All in all, Art Angels is a very solid album that personally made me think about certain things differently. My favorite lyric is from the closing track, Butterfly: "Why are you looking for a harmony? There is harmony in everything."

    After going through Art Angels, I decided to listen to her previous album "Visions", and I can't say anything other than she has evolved completely from what she was in that album. I can barely bring myself to listen to "Visions", but Grimes knocked this one out of the park with it's entirely different, optimistic style with a sense of purpose. Definitely do not judge an album by it's cover.

    I recommend the album to anyone who's into Dance, Electronic, Indie Pop, or anything really. It's worth a listen.

    PS. While it's still averaging a 3.5/5, You would not believe the flak this album is getting on Sputnik Music. I don't know what it is about that site, but the reviews never align with Metacritic. Visions is rated higher than Art Angels, which brings up a big red flag for me.    … Expand
  81. nobodyknowsme
    Dec 13, 2015
    10
    It's been 3 years since Visions released.Visions was minimalistic,complex,lo-fi album.It made grimes popular on the alternative/indie scene.Everybody was wondering what will she is going to do next.Will she stick to the minimalistic lo-fi indie girl image or is she gonna change completely?Online music sites like Pitchfork was very interested with Grimes.They followed every move she hasIt's been 3 years since Visions released.Visions was minimalistic,complex,lo-fi album.It made grimes popular on the alternative/indie scene.Everybody was wondering what will she is going to do next.Will she stick to the minimalistic lo-fi indie girl image or is she gonna change completely?Online music sites like Pitchfork was very interested with Grimes.They followed every move she has done.They see Grimes as a hipster magnet.Like she is doing some pretentious **** released bunch of singles and videos till the album release.Like dubstep influenced "Go",and "Realiti".Now we have her new album Artangels out.I can't lie i just shocked when i first listened.It was so not Grimes we used to know.Except Realiti i thinked this album sucked but after few listen i loved the album.Her sugary vocals,excelent synths and melodies made this album irresistible.She uses real instruments like piano and guitar on Artangels.Songs like California,Belly of the Beat got country-pop influence all over it.And songs like Flesh Without Blood,Kill V.Maim,Venus Fly represents her new style.Her "Art Angels".While ending my review i must say this is one of the most original albums I've ever listened.… Expand
  82. coroinha66
    Nov 20, 2015
    9
    Em sua nova obra, Grimes reúne qualidade e criatividade, resultando em um albúm contagiante com uma sonoridade impecável, sendo certamente um dos melhores recordes do ano.
  83. MatheusSouza
    Jan 30, 2016
    10
    QUE ÁLBUM É ESSE? MARAVILHOSO!
    Depois que fiquei sabendo que ela fez o álbum todo SOZINHA amei ele mais ainda, não consigo tirar as músicas da cabeça, todo dia eu vicio em uma.
    A única coisa que eu quero saber é: COMO PARAR DE OUVIR ESSE ÁLBUM?????????
  84. Victorfost
    Jan 28, 2016
    10
    Is The NEW BEST POP ALBUM OF 2K16 UHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUL FODE GRIMES VC E BABADEIRA MULHE, BATO MUITO CABELO COM KILL.V MAIM TU N SABE COMO EU VIRO MO VAGABUNDA CARA, MELHOR ALBUMMMMMMMMMMMMM, MELHOR MUSICA AMIGA, ESSE BOY DO SEU VIDEO E UMA DELICIA PASSA O WHAT'SAPP
  85. Shane201
    Feb 1, 2016
    10
    Another solid release by Grimes. I've been listening to it all month and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite albums. Claire really flexes her talents with Art angels, every track on here is her own creation and it's great work from start to end. Best album of 2015.
  86. Dinfire
    Feb 20, 2016
    6
    The reviews for this album are INSANE. I've been listening to Grimes since her demo and this album is her worst yet. Half the tracks are throwaways. The ones that do have hooks pale in comparison to Visions and are much more commercial/mainstream. Buy a couple tracks in iTunes and be done with it. This big fan is really disappointed in this album.
  87. Rybread28
    Apr 1, 2016
    9
    This album is amazing I have not been able to get in to any other of her other albums. But this one blew my mind it has great lyrics, great instrumentation the album flows well I can actually understand what she is saying. This is a masterpiece I hope she makes more albums like this because I am totally on board. I cant recommend this any more so good. she still has the weirdness of herThis album is amazing I have not been able to get in to any other of her other albums. But this one blew my mind it has great lyrics, great instrumentation the album flows well I can actually understand what she is saying. This is a masterpiece I hope she makes more albums like this because I am totally on board. I cant recommend this any more so good. she still has the weirdness of her first three albums but goes more pop and makes her vocals easier to understand which works well for me love this album.… Expand
  88. Mesmerize
    Oct 28, 2016
    9
    9.0 / 10 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  89. PrincesaDelMar
    Jan 28, 2020
    10
    This is the album that introduced me to Grimes so this piece of art will always have a special place in my heart. Truly I feel like this album was made for me, from 2016-2017 this was all I would listen to. I refused to listen to new music for awhile because I was just so obsessed with this album. Every single song for me had a different meaning and just did something to me. For othersThis is the album that introduced me to Grimes so this piece of art will always have a special place in my heart. Truly I feel like this album was made for me, from 2016-2017 this was all I would listen to. I refused to listen to new music for awhile because I was just so obsessed with this album. Every single song for me had a different meaning and just did something to me. For others this might not be the Grimes they are used to but to me this was the only Grimes I knew and I loved it. I still do and now that I am more into her I also love her older work, and newer work she has since come out with. I'll probably always will listen to this album.… Expand
  90. kman5473
    Sep 5, 2016
    8
    I had been exposed to Grimes randomly by Youtube because I love other bands like Warpaint, Angel Olsen, Sky Ferreira, and St. Vincent. Up until last week, what I was getting exposed to was OK at best; I respected the conventions of bizarre/punk/goth/insanity, but nothing really stuck out to me as good enough to buy.

    Then--actually last Friday (September 2nd, 2016), I watched, "Kill V    I had been exposed to Grimes randomly by Youtube because I love other bands like Warpaint, Angel Olsen, Sky Ferreira, and St. Vincent. Up until last week, what I was getting exposed to was OK at best; I respected the conventions of bizarre/punk/goth/insanity, but nothing really stuck out to me as good enough to buy.

    Then--actually last Friday (September 2nd, 2016), I watched, "Kill V Main" for the first time and was BLOWN away. Not only did Grimes surpass her own level of writing/composing music, I genuinely believe she's pushed music a level higher in general. I don't even participate in the vampire/goth/punk scene, but this track is so good that I knew as soon as I watched the music video the first time I had to buy this album.

    I'm excited to see what Grimes does in the future, and investigate her music further. Overall, this album is solid, but not "perfect" in the sense that the album as a whole is groundbreaking. There are tracks that definitely are though. If you're questioning whether or not you like Grimes, watch Kill vs Maim, and if you love it than get the album!    … Expand
  91. miguelsanhueza
    Dec 25, 2015
    10
    This album is everything, with every listen i love her so much! i don't know how Grimes make this, is such a great pop album but at the same time is not pop, amazing!
  92. pinkraop
    Dec 7, 2015
    8
    The first third is all over the place but then the album becomes greater and greater. "Kill V. Maim" is one of the best songs of the year. Her singing, production and songwriting are unique.
  93. davd123
    Jan 26, 2018
    9
    One of the best futurist albums of all time!!! It seems like music is going to new level and I'm really happy for that. Listening to this album seems like journey through space and planet it feels amazing. I think Art Angles is lighter and brighter than other Grimes albums, I think this one is the best. Of course you need to listen to this album very deeply and understand it, understandOne of the best futurist albums of all time!!! It seems like music is going to new level and I'm really happy for that. Listening to this album seems like journey through space and planet it feels amazing. I think Art Angles is lighter and brighter than other Grimes albums, I think this one is the best. Of course you need to listen to this album very deeply and understand it, understand that this album is different and be ready for that. I'm saying this because may some people which have listened only few songs of all album don't want to listen to all album because they didn't liked that few songs, but for me it took about two weeks to love this album and now I think this album is one of the best albums of all time!!! You should listen to this album expeciality if you enjoy listening to bjork, fka twigs and other. Enjoy this album :))… Expand
  94. IvanMejia_
    Sep 27, 2016
    10
    Fue comodamente el mejor disco del 2015. Muy impresionado con sus vocales y ese toque pop que le puso a sus canciones. Mis canciones favoritas fueron: Butterfly, ArtAngels, Flesh Without Blood, Kill V. Maim y Realiti.
  95. gabrielfobia
    Sep 11, 2016
    10
    It may disappoint some Visions fans, because it has loss some of the greater sounds. But this albums have some highlights when it comes to eloquence, lyricism and production. It may be a compilation of some weird **** plus catchy-pop songs, but I think that that's why the album is so great.
  96. Neng-
    Jul 5, 2017
    8
    Art Angels is weird, but that is what makes it so unique, that awkwardness that Grimes carries from herself into her music, and it’s so genuine that I ended up loving this album without even expecting to like it at all!
    It’s no secret that this album seems like a step forward from his previous works (which she says took her no time at all) and that production quality that she gained and    Art Angels is weird, but that is what makes it so unique, that awkwardness that Grimes carries from herself into her music, and it’s so genuine that I ended up loving this album without even expecting to like it at all!
    It’s no secret that this album seems like a step forward from his previous works (which she says took her no time at all) and that production quality that she gained and the more time she spent here is shown in this album.
    Although some tracks are a little bit noisy and come across being more like a mixed of ideas that don’t match, there are some really well though pieces that makes me keep listening to this album.    … Expand
  97. fabiangza
    Sep 18, 2016
    10
    Grimes se muestra algo influenciada por el pop fresco de hoy en día, pero no deja a un lado su distintivo estilo experimental y misterioso que a cualquier oído le daría placer percibir. Sin duda un trabajo sumamente profesional y con canciones muy bien planeadas.
  98. MirrorPhase
    Oct 15, 2016
    7
    The most striking feature of this album is its ability to remain coherent in spite of its radical stylistic twists and turns. It is a bolder work than any of her earlier releases, on some tracks clearly risking the artist's existing fan-base by introducing a more radio-friendly production and songwriting style (California, Butterfly and Flesh without Blood being noteworthy examples, butThe most striking feature of this album is its ability to remain coherent in spite of its radical stylistic twists and turns. It is a bolder work than any of her earlier releases, on some tracks clearly risking the artist's existing fan-base by introducing a more radio-friendly production and songwriting style (California, Butterfly and Flesh without Blood being noteworthy examples, but also standout tracks). Having said that, the production does occasionally fall short, with a sometimes uneven bottom end. This is a minor gripe, however, given the overall strength of the songwriting and sonic richness that prevails throughout. Drawing stylistically on electronic pop stalwarts like Gwen Stefani, Goldfrapp and Pink, but also more esoteric influences, some of which will be familiar from the 4AD stable, this album demands an open mind, but rewards it.… Expand
  99. andressolis
    Oct 26, 2016
    10
    Truly a work of art. The signature sounds of Grimes make her unique and Art Angels is just the representation of the fruit of her work. S/o to her by producing the whole album by herself
  100. victorcarter
    Nov 21, 2016
    8
    Grimes came through with a wonderfully odd and gorgeously put together pop album. It is truly singular and it doesn't feel like this can really be made by anyone else. Grimes has a great ability to craft songs with imagination. It just gets better with every listen.
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Awards & Rankings

11
#11 Best Album of 2015
12
#12 Most Discussed Album of 2015
15
#15 Most Shared Album of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
88

Universal acclaim - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. AllMusic
    Dec 22, 2015
    80
    Claire Boucher's fourth album is wilder, more ambitious, and--at least on the surface--more accessible than her breakthrough
    Read full review
  2. Mojo
    Dec 18, 2015
    80
    Crackling with radio-primed hooks, whipsnap breakbeats and Boucher’s helium-pitched vocals, Grimes’ third album makes a convincing strike for playlist ubiquity, with a healthy dollop of the oddball chucked in.
    Read full review
  3. Uncut
    Dec 11, 2015
    80
    You can sense the deceptively complex Art Angels will only continue to yield further depths with time. [Jan 2016, p.76]
See all critic reviews »