Maya Hawke demonstrates her special way of storytelling as shown in her third studio album Chaos Angel. Just like Hawke, this album is inviting, warm and charming.
The first track “Black Ice” pours out an overall sense of peace as soon as Hawke starts singing, which carries throughout the whole album. Hawke captivates her listeners through the chaotic vision that she is portraying with mysterious lyrics such as “This airport lounge looks a lot like” and cuts off not finishing her thought. This leaves it up to her audience to imagine what Hawke is saying, in her otherwise transparent album.
“Missing Out” can be broken down on so many different levels, with a deep underlying message of Hawke’s vulnerability combined with a strong lyrical dissonance. Hawke sings “Holding the party line embarrassed all the time / before I ran from safety hoping someone would chase me” while the chord progression is mesmerizing and inviting the listener to dance.
The fourth track on the album “Wrong Again” is a calming piece as Hawke paints a picture of innocence and the feelings of being connected to someone, not caring what happens.
The hidden gem in this album “Not Now Not Never” has the power to be on repeat and forever live in your mind. With stripped-down vocals, adding chromatic harmonies and creating a vibrant sound, this shorter track should not be overlooked.
You can tell that Hawke is one with her music by the way her voice fits ever so flawlessly on “Big Idea.” She is not just sitting on the music, rather she is connected, weaved into the bends and stretches of the guitar and melodies. The lyrics “You know exactly where you’re going / don’t let them tell you how to feel” encompass the overall feel and sense of freedom this song is giving off.
The final track “Chaos Angel” starts as an ethereal piano number with gentle melancholy lyrics. This is until Hawke builds the production up to the sky and sings “I want you I love you I promise I’m sorry” in forgiveness, and with the help of angelic strings, orchestrates the album to a close.
Chaos Angel is its own world and is worth getting lost in. It is inspiring how Maya Hawke does not overdo what the production needs to accompany her collection of songs and stories. With no surprise Maya Hawke is as brilliant of a storyteller in her music as she is on screen and Chaos Angel is a perfect representation of this.
Leave a Comment