"次世代ポップ・クイーン"=ザラ・ラーソン待望の最新アルバム『VENUS』

ミュージック・ビデオ総再生回数30億回超えを誇る"次世代ポップ・クイーン"=ザラ・ラーソン待望の最新アルバム『VENUS』。
同作には2014年にリリースしたヒット曲「ラッシュ・ライフ」に次いで母国スウェーデンを中心にヒットを記録した「キャント・テーム・ハー」(2013年1月)や「エンド・オブ・タイム」(2013年5月)、また世界各国で1位を獲得したデヴィッド・ゲッタの＜EURO2016＞公式テーマ・ソング「ディス・ワンズ・フォー・ユー feat. ザラ・ラーソン」(2016年5月)以来二度目のコラボとなる「オン・マイ・ラヴ」(2023年9月)など全12曲を収録。

発売・販売元 提供資料 （2023/12/15）

Over a decade into her career as one of Swedens biggest pop exports, Zara Larsson expands her scope to include more shimmering dance-pop and neon-synth sheen on her third studio set, Venus. Along with the refreshed sound is a newfound artistic freedom: its the first album released on her own Sommer House label. That liberated spirit -- the titular inner goddess of the title -- courses through Venus, which balances the usual pop-R&B style of her earlier work with rhythmic mainstream bops and some subtle emotional sweep. The playful singalong "You Love Who You Love" and the epic, string-backed "End of Time" build atop a persistent throb and soaring vocals, channeling the addictive, singsong style of Ava Max. Meanwhile, lead single "Cant Tame Her" careens down the midnight freeway of an 80s action flick, resurrecting that decades full-throttle synth anthem energy. The sleek "None of These Guys" drips with attitude and a cold, pulsing beat, while David Guetta lends his festival-sized house production to "On My Love," a reunion with the superstar DJ that sounds like Rihannas turn-of-the-decade ravers. Larsson stretches her usual range with the bittersweet piano ballad "Soundtrack" -- which references Radiohead, Joni Mitchell, and "Hallelujah" as she reflects on a past love -- and the aptly titled "The Healing," another delicate piano-based dose of vulnerability. Everything comes together on the triumphant title track, which merges the synth-bop energy of the albums big radio-friendly singles and the emotional depth of "Soundtrack" to maximum effect, opening Larssons eyes to a new world full of love and possibility. Personal but still very fun, Venus is a bold but totally sensical evolution in sound that avoids a third LP of the same old songs and pushes Larssons sonic style into the future. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Rovi