In this album, the songstress delves beyond the surface and explores the human condition. The songs are all versatile and the collection is well-crafted.
The CD opens with the atmospheric “Handmade Heaven,” and it is followed by “Superstar,” where her vocals are simply too good to be mortal. “Orange Trees” has a nonchalant, carefree vibe to it, while in the Clean Bandit track “Baby,” Marina collaborates with Luis Fonsi. “Enjoy Your Life” is yet another fun and liberating track, and “True” is a raw and authentic tune about self-reflection. The piano-driven “To Be Human,” is expressive and crystalline and “End Of The Earth” is a heartfelt ballad, where she allows her crisp vocals to shine.
“Believe In Love” has an optimistic message to it, and “Life Is Strange” is mid-tempo and melodically stunning. In “Karma,” she expresses her views on what goes around comes around. “Emotional Machine” is a breathy, hypnotic track that would fare for her electro-pop and dance fans. She vents in “No More Suckers” and the album closes on an empowering note with “Soft To Be Strong.”
Love + Fear is available on iTunes and on Spotify.
The Verdict
All of the songs on Marina’s Love + Fear are gems. This music project showcases Marina’s growth and maturity as a singer-songwriter and as a song stylist. At the same time, the CD has a retro vibe to it, where the listener can recall such artists as Sarah McLachlan, Sia, and Sara Bareilles. It garners an A rating.
