Saturday 4 May 2019

Marina @ The Royal Albert Hall

Marina @ The Royal Albert Hall

For her first three albums, Marina (and her diamonds) made a name for herself with off-kilter pop, especially in alter-ego Electra Heart. But after a three year break she's dropped the diamonds and released a new two-part album, 'LOVE + FEAR', that's a far more serious and personal affair: haunting pop for an anxious world.

This gig, part of her European tour, follows the same love and fear theme. Marina floats on to the stage in a shock of pink for the album's lead single Handmade Heaven, interpretive dancers around her, overshadowed by a huge unbalanced screen that throughout the night bursts with colour and vibrancy. Songs from 'LOVE' are joined by favourites from her previous albums: the prophetic Hollywood ("I'm obsessed with the mess that's America"), the thumping Primadonna, the bubbly Froot. It's these that stir the crowd into cheers and singing, though recent single Orange Trees brings a breezy, laidback vibe as the screen shimmers with ocean views.

For the second half, songs from 'FEAR' predominate, the azure seas swapped for a frosty wilderness and an all-white outfit. The playful pop of her earlier albums dissipates and we're left with moving ballads performed on piano, dark synths and anxious production. "And my mood it changes all the time, I smile with tears in my eyes," she sings on Believe In Love, while on Soft To Be Strong she finally overcomes her fear. Most arresting of all though is the melancholic Happy, from previous album 'Froot'. Where 'LOVE + FEAR' have been inspired by her struggles with mental health, the roots of that are in this song: "I've found what I've been looking for in myself".

Even on the most bombastic songs, her vulnerability shows. Her soft vocal soars up to a gentle falsetto that's almost operatic - fitting for this venue. The crowd may be singing back every word, but there are moments of quiet contemplation where the popstar persona reveals a genuine fragility.

'LOVE + FEAR' may be split in two, but its best moments are where those two halves come together. Superstar is a love song of quivering melodies and dark dependency, undercut by brittle beats and ominous sub bass. Best of all is Enjoy Your Life - something of a mental health banger - where she admits "I know, you've been feeling stuck, feeling low" before imploring us to "sit back and enjoy your problems" with infectious hooks and upbeat synths. Even on this latest album her music remains a little more offbeat and intelligent than most pop music, but her lyrics are forever relatable.

As a performer, though, Marina is a buoyant presence: synchronised dancing, bubbly personality, and plenty of smiles, culminating in the sizzling finale of How to Be a Heartbreaker. The fear subsides and all that's left is love.

4/5

Listen: 'LOVE + FEAR' is out now.

Marina @ The Royal Albert Hall

Marina @ The Royal Albert Hall

Marina @ The Royal Albert Hall

 Marina @ The Royal Albert Hall