Pure Heroine (Universal, Lava, Republic)
Gayle: Pure Heroine and Melodrama are my two favorite albums, but since Pure Heroine had my heart first, this is gonna be the album I talk about!
I was nine when Pure Heroine came out, but I remember the day I truly heard the record for the first time. I was twelve years old doing laundry and I heard the pre to "White Teeth Teens," and I dropped my laundry basket. It was the first time I really noticed a doubled vocal and I stopped everything I was doing, grabbed a note book and wrote down all the stacks I thought she did on each song! There’s an edge and left-of-center perspective in her lyrics and sonics that I really enjoy and yet there was still such a massive hit from this record.
Overall, the record has quite a few electronic elements, programed drums and synths, yet the record itself feels extremely natural and organic. I love the buzziness of the synths she uses. I enjoyed the drums she used for this record--most of them (if not all of them) are programmed and I love how choppy they are. Sometimes, she’d put in these double-timed almost hip-hop inspired drums which I thought was really unique, especially at the time. It's overall such a stellar, moody, creative, and intense record, capturing the fleeting glow of youth. And also, to make this record at the age she did... I mean come on, are you kidding me?
Gayle's single "junebug!" is out now. A new album arrives later in the year.
Photo by Acacia Evans
