Paloma Faith is a name which has risen to mass popularity over her past three double platinum records, each stressing the perfect combination of powerhouse vocal strength and pop infection. Now back with another follow up, The Architect, new horizons have definitely been opened to Paloma Faith’s career.

A record which claims to be more a reflection on some of the larger political issues the world faces today, The Architect is opened by none other than Samuel L. Jackson. Yes, you read it right, Samuel L. Jackson. The opening single ‘The Architect' then proceeds and straight off the bat, we’re introduced to the new wave of Paloma’s sound. It feels fresh, powerful and unbelievably infectious. After just the first listen of this song, it was on my playlists, Paloma’s voice is a work of pure excellence and the backing instrumentals formulate a storm of sound which is just exquisite.

Following a surprising reaction to the opening track, the thought that this could quickly become album of the year was definitely within grasping, however it quickly fades out of light as some classic studio interference of “What will sell” becomes apparent. Pop music is a beautiful art form in itself, but with a vocal variance like Paloma’s, feels underwhelming to say the least. For an album which claims to be a reflection on deep social issues, the lyricism behind most of the record is poorly executed. ‘Kings and Queens’, ‘I’ll Be Gentle (Featuring John Legend)’ and ‘Warrior’ all feel like tracks which were unnecessarily written and the vagueness behind the lyrics could just as easily be applied to the classic heartbreak relationship dichotomy which of course pop thrives on.

This being said, the production masks the shortcomings in colourful and simply extraordinary beats. Both ‘Crybaby’ and ‘’Til I’m Done’ may fall into the pop side of things, but are upbeat numbers which inject a definite sense of freshness to the mainstream scene. The jazz-inspired basslines, flourishing vocal melodies and strong catches definitely make them worth keeping around until the summer months return.

It’s as though Paloma has a split personality throughout the record, strong ballad numbers which put her vocal power in the spotlight hit far harder than any of the generic pop and it’s such a shame they aren’t capitalised on in such a manner. The chills created by ‘Surrender’ are something which so few could accomplish and yet it feels dwarfed on the track list as it finds itself surrounded by wishy washy nonsense. These bigger songs are where Paloma’s sound has the lovability of artists like Amy Winehouse all wrapped in a retro sounding cloud, but still contains a solid level of personality and uniqueness and are undoubtedly the key point which could have pushed Paloma’s career in another direction.

It is disappointing to see an album which could have easily been one of the freshest releases of 2017 derail into pop mundanity. The political themes intended behind The Architect may not exactly be as present as Paloma claims but, nonetheless, is an album which will achieve what it has set out to do in continuing Paloma’s double platinum trend. It is still worth a listen even to simply realise the sheer vocal talent Paloma has, she is an exquisite performer who has definitely reached the pinnacle of careers in terms of fame and talent, but it feels as though this artist still has a lot more to give in her future releases.

Ben Walker

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