When Welsh alternative pop musician Marina Diamondis unveiled the song Immortal as the third part of her "froot of the month" promotion series, it was immediately captivating. The lyrics were not just meaningful and inevitably tragic but were undeniably true and unquestionable universal. A human's desire to leave a footprint on earth when their spirit fades is discussed in frank lyrics: "All the things that humans do, to leave behind a little proof." This super-melancholic perspective was inspired by war memorials and is complimented by a minimalistic composition, an airy intimate atmosphere and a trip-hop pace. It was accompanied by a sophisticated and sentimental music video dominated by home movie projections. It already feels a lot more real and reflective than anything off their electro pop predecessor and is challenging like her debut album. Infact as a whole Froot is the best of both albums, it keeps the lyrical clarity of Electra Heart but the music is a lot more willing to divert into left field terrorities like on The Family Jewels, doesn't need to adopt alter egos and it doesn't need a wig to appear interesting.
Title track Froot is a good starter point. It's name is a typical word play technique used previously by Diamondis (Shampain, Hypocrates, Hermit The Frog etc.) a combination of "fruit" and "rot" with the O's purposely placed beside each other to interwine like a loving unison. The song is sugary sweet but it effortlessly blends computer game popcorn with 70s style disco making it infectious, retro and memorable and a welcoming resemblance to CALLmeKAT, The Ting Tings and Little Boots. Her vocals on here also suggest a return to the theatrical nature heard on the first album which drew her a comparison with Kate Bush, Emilie Simon and Gwen Stefani albeit without laughter and a toolbox of multiple personalities. Diamondis uses charming and seductive metaphors to compare herself to a fruit tree: "Oh my branches are heavy", "Baby, I am plump and ripe" and "Leave it too long I'll go rot, like an apple you forgot". On the skin, it is both a song about love and loneliness, a theme that is covered throughout the album including in the Purity-Ring- performs-classic-rock of Weeds in which she compares lovers to unwanted wild plants that remain in the garden of her mind. Whilst I'm A Ruin is a song that sounds both arrogant and compassionate. It's effectively about the fear of breaking somebody's heart and acts almost like a warning sign. and it's made up of a contrasting set of gloomy and poignant The XX guitars with upbeat synth-pop accessibility.
Diamondis originally rose to musical attention at a rapid rate because of her confrontational, Lily-Allen satire and opinonated views of America (Hollywood), fame (Primadonna), the media (Hypocrates), her own female gender (Girls) and even critical with herself (Im Not A Robot). Although her genre direction has bounced around without clear direction, this side to her expression has remained part of her process. Savages sounds like a standard catchy synth-pop number but it tackles rape culture, how it's becoming normal in society and almost sarcastically justifies it as an avoidable part of human DNA: "we live, we die, we steal, we die, just like animals but with far less grace." Better Than That is rumoured (but unconfirmed) to be a dig at former friend and fellow Sound of 2010 nominee Ellie Goulding which adds tension to a song that already sounds angry and personal including the sassy lyric: "you're just another in a long line of men she screwed." The music is also stylistically engaging as it adopts Black-Keys-esque blues rock rhythm guitars and funky wah wahs to the pop landscape.
One of main objectives of Diamondis's third album is to express that Marina and The Diamonds is her own gem and not the creation of a unity of producers. This is expressed by her decision to only include one producing partner in David Kosten (Bat For Lashes, Everything Everything) and in a surprisingly explicit hip-pop song entitled Can't Pin Me Down. The track also challenges the media's views on her feminism and how she dosen't want to be defined in one genre: "Do you really want me to write a feminist anthem? I'm happy cooking dinner in the kitchen for my husband." Although it's good that she is now focusing on her own identity and meaning rather than continue the obession with pop culture.
If we are to use Diamondis's fruit metaphors then The Family Jewels was an apple, well rounded but could be hard to bite into the layers. Electa Heart was an banana: easy to unravel and without complicated layers but lacked an astonishing taste. Whilst Froot is a like a juicy and fresh strawberry on a summer's day. It's easy to chew but it's full of rich flavour that lingers on the tongue long after it's being devoured.