Marina returns with first solo work in four years
Marina, formerly known as Marina and the Diamonds, finally made a comeback as a solo artist. The singer-songwriter and pop star from Wales released her most recent album FROOT in the spring of 2015 and was not sure if she wanted to continue music after an extensive time of touring. Following a break, she did start working on new solo material, while in the meantime launching two collaborations with Clean Bandit, ‘Disconnect’ and more recently ‘Baby’. Marina kicks off the campaign for her upcoming fourth album with the brand new single ‘Handmade Heaven’.
On social media, Marina announced that the single is not necessarily representative for the rest of the album, saying that fans won’t be able to tell what the album will sound like just by judging the single. The song was described as a ballad before, but don’t expect a ‘Buy The Stars’ or ‘Happy’ type of piano affair. Thanks to the full-fledged instrumental, the track’s vibe seems more in line with ‘I’m A Ruin’ or even ‘I Am Not A Robot’.
‘Handmade Heaven’ could best be described as an uplifting midtempo pop song with a light electronic production and Marina’s signature vocal style which elegantly moves from deeper tones to high notes. In the lyrics, Marina envies the animals that live their life ‘so purposefully’ while she seems to be searching for something in hers. By the time the chorus comes around, she comes alive in her handmade heaven with ‘bluebirds forever’. The soaring melody of the chorus sonically represents the heaven in the lyrics perfectly. It is a typical Marina track with a contemporary production and a mature sound, following what she started on FROOT. To be completely honest, ‘Handmade Heaven’ however does not scream ‘single’ to me and I would be surprised if radio would pick this up. Having said that, Marina’s fan base has proven to be extremely loyal (even after four years) and I am pretty sure they (including me) will eat this up!
Update: Marina presents herself as the perfect mix of Snow White and Red Riding Hood in Winter Wonderland in the video for ‘Handmade Heaven’.