Under the direction of Lady Gaga’s successful production and writing team, up and coming recording artist Natalia Kills has set her sights on fame and fortune with the release of her debut album, Perfectionist, which was first released in France on March 15th.
The album contains a dark and edgy sound which could be expected from the artist who has a unique style and appearance that not many have seen before. Preceded by two singles, “Mirrors” and “Wonderland”, the project does not have a US release date at the moment, but the album will bring Natalia Kills more fans and recognition which is well deserved.
After a short intro that shares its name with the album, the debut effort kicks off with a unique and ballad-esque track titled “Wonderland”. With many fairytale references, the song tells the story of a love in its prime. The beginning of the track is the strongest part, but the artist shows a nice vocal range throughout and proves she has the talent to get the job done. The songwriting is a different take on pop music and the vocals are ones that I have not heard before.
Things are toned down a little for “Free”, a track that contains a catchy beat that will get people moving. The vocals are nice and the production is top notch, but the downfall of the song is in the lyrics, which is really what a song should be all about. To me, the song just comes off a bit amateur which is a disappointment, but it does get commended for the effort. Just was not the best track off the album.
Even though the intro to “Break You Hard” sets a nice, creepy tone for the song, it is about ten seconds too long. With that said, the track has to be one of the standout tracks off the album. The verses are amazing, the clap filled beat goes well with the lyrics, and the chorus is one of the best moments on the whole project. The artist is saying goodbye to her man; a woman’s prerogative is always harsh and brilliant.
“Zombie” comes off as if it would fit in perfectly with Kanye West’s 808s & Heartbreak, it is just done ten times better. The artist is in love with a man that does not return the feelings in the best way; she is in love with the wrong guy. The track sounds very sinister, as if it would be featured on a horror movie soundtrack, but I think that is what makes it so great and different.
After a church choir intro, “Love is a Suicide” plays out like a dark and well-crafted pop song whose chorus makes it a bright moment. There is a change in the pace of the song, and it feels as if there is a stronger, more serious message behind this one. One negative aspect about the track is the fact that some of the lyrics during the verses were forced to rhyme when that does not need to happen.
The first single off the album, “Mirrors”, is a song strictly about sex and pleasure, but tackled with a different approach which much success. The track sounds like a mix of Lady Gaga and Rihanna, but Natalia gives this s&m themed song her very own edge and energy. The naughty track was a great way to introduce the artist to the world and I think it built up the right amount of buzz for the album.
A sense of fright may occur when “Not In Love” begins to play, but the end result is pure delight. The song carries a 90s beat and vibe, however, the song sounds right being released in 2011. The track is a good listen, very simple, not as dark as the songs that preceded it, but it fits in with the rest of the track list and continues down the same direction of the entire project.
The phone call intro of “Acid Annie” is reminiscent of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” music video, but there are certain points during the song where the artist channels Alanis Morissette to an extent. The artist is following her ex-lover’s every footstep and there is nothing more horrible than a woman’s revenge. The song is one of the few explicit tracks on the album, but it works perfectly in a way that only Natalia Kills can accomplish successfully.
“Superficial” had all the pieces to become a true hit, but unfortunately the pieces did not come together in the way that they needed to. The lyrics could be turned into a mainstream pop song, a style not found in the artist, but I think any other singer could have made the track a little better. Great songwriting is present, but the beats and vocals just did nothing for the material.
A different kind of vocals are heard on “Broke”, a song that hits the emotional chords as it plays from beginning to end. The lyrics are sad, the performance is soft and innocent, a departure from the strong voice we heard at the beginning of the album. The song works; it shows that the artist does not need loud beats to create a beautiful track that stands on its own feet.
The album continues with “Heaven”, a soft and sweet track that does not really do anything interesting or important. I do commend the effort, the sound is something outside of the artist’s comfort zone, but I just don’t think it has much of an impact. The song is the longest on the list, but it is not memorable at all. The “rap” towards the end is a good piece of the track though.
“Nothing Lasts Forever” has Natalia speaking in a robotic voice that goes with the song, just is not something I am really into. The track contains the only featured guest on the entire album and I think his performance gave the song something extra; it was just too small to measure. The lyrics, vocals and message are great as usual but the song just did not reach its full potential.
The album closes with “If I Was God”, a song that I think should not have been included on the project. Coming at the end, the track does not do a good job at leaving the listener with a positive impression and just falls flat compared to the rest of the track list. The vocals here are not as strong, and I could not really get into the song which is a shame.
Perfectionist is a unique debut album from an artist that is not following the norms found in the music industry. Natalia Kills has a dark and sinister characteristic in her vocals, but it works for the edgy, different pop tracks that she has created. The music may contain a sound that many have not been exposed to, but it carries a feel that can crossover to any genre of music lovers. The album starts off strong, with fun and well written tracks, then unfortunately loses some energy towards the end. Even though all the tracks may not be hits, the album does a great job overall. For a new sound, great songwriting abilities, and crazy vocals, the album receives an 84%.
Tracks to Hear: “Wonderland”, “Break You Hard”, and “Acid Annie”
Wonderland by Interscope Records
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