Princess
Chelsea - The Great Cybernetic Depression (Lil’ Chief Records)
LP
/ CD / DL
8
June 2015
9
/ 10
Auckland’s
alternative chamber pop artists releases her second album.
It’s
been a long time since 2011s debut Lil’ Golden Book the album that saw Chelsea
Nikkel (aka Princess Chelsea) obtain both critical acclaim and a support spot
on the tour of darlings of that moment Alt J.
Originally scheduled for release in early 2014, The Great Cybernetic
Depression is the ‘difficult second album’ but something of a triumph.
Gone
are the musical box sounding pieces now superseded by a pop operetta with
strings replaced by space-age synths and lyrics which are absorbing and
provoking. NIkkel was never one to shy
away from ‘serious’ topics as (the YouTube sensation) The Cigarette Duet and
Too Fast To Live from her debut confirmed, but cleverly wrapped in poppy
backings they provided a sugar sweet alternative pop.
With
the new collection the bar has been lifted significantly both lyrically and in
bravado. The ‘Popperetta’ glides through
tales of depression, potential suicide, and the universal apocalypse as though
they were everyday issues. Even, semi
instrumental Winston Crying On The Bathroom Floor despite its bizarre title,
consists of Chelsea’s beloved feline friend seemingly wailing in unison with
the atmospheric backing.
Album
opener, When The World Turns Grey (the companion to last year’s We’re So Lost
single release) is a slow and poignant track if not completely and utterly
brave to start a new album. It’s a
veiled love song wrapped in a haunting comment on the state of the World, and
it’s done with tact and expert judgement.
Too
Many People, a duet with partner Jonathan Bree (who guests throughout the
album) is so clever that it even manages to included Nikkel exclaiming “f*cking
shit” seemingly without the listener batting an eyelid, and that is where the
strength of the album lies. Lyrically
it’s clever - with subject matters enveloped in sweet sounding cascades of simplicity
so skilfully that the album is completely grown up with an almost childish
lollipop feel.
We’re
So Lost, whilst not a Nikkel composition (it’s a cover of a song from label
mates Voom) has her own take on the track with added dreamscapes and sweeping
synth sounds not forgetting guest appearances from Winston on the promo video.
Throughout
the album the urge to throw in any crashing drums or loud percussion is resisted
(a far cry from every child’s favourite Monkey Eats Bananas from her debut)
until closer All The Stars allows torrents of noise to infiltrate and rise like
a phoenix out of the flames before dying back again.
If
Lil’ Golden Book began the Princess Chelsea story then The Great Cybernetic
Depression starts a completely new chapter.
Seemingly four years in the making from concept to delivery, it’s a
quite brilliant and astute collection.
Links
Lil Chief Records
Princess Chelsea website
Princess Chelsea on Twitter
Princess Chelsea on Facebook
Princess Chelsea on hiapop Blog
Published on Louder Than War 5/06/15 - here
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