Three years after the release of his masterful debut, Michigan native
BORNS returned with his sophomore effort,
Blue Madonna. Joined once again by producer
Tommy English,
BORNS takes a few steps away from
Dopamine's direct, pop-savvy approach, opting for an expansive, atmospheric experience that allows his ideas a little space to wander. While the results are not as immediate as
Dopamine (which was a straight shot to the pleasure zone),
Blue Madonna is ultimately a more rewarding journey that unveils itself with repeat listens. On the opening track "God Save Our Young Blood,"
BORNS pairs with his spiritual counterpart,
Lana Del Rey. Upon first listen, their delivery is a tad precious and cloying, yet once its lush tendrils snake their way under the skin, the track becomes an irresistible gem. The same goes for much of the album. With chemically-induced and youthful abandon,
Blue Madonna cruises along a coastal California soundscape, trading much of
Dopamine's glam-rock bombast for sunny, blissful warmth. While "Faded Heart" and the rollicking "We Don't Care" are the rowdiest of the bunch, they don't distract from the overall psychedelic chill of
Blue Madonna. "Sweet Dreams" sparkles; the '80s new wave-inspired "Man" seduces; and "Bye-bye Darling" melds
Elton John and
the Beatles with charming purity. The Auto-Tuned yearning of "I Don't Want U Back" could have been another
Del Rey duet, but "Blue Madonna" is the one that gets that honor, a languid comedown that features her on uncredited backing vocals. The album's highlights arrive unexpectedly toward the finish. After the breathy "Tension (Interlude)" gently disco-dances its way into the sunset, "Supernatural" shimmers to life with a hypnotic beauty similar to something from
Tame Impala's
Currents era. Persian musician
Armen Ra incorporates an ethereal Theremin break before
BORNS' big, string-drenched finale, unlike anything the singer has done to date. Exploring new directions with experimental confidence, an ever-playful
BORNS takes the necessary steps in artistic maturation on
Blue Madonna, a worthy and satisfying follow-up for the mischievous Lothario. ~ Neil Z. Yeung
![Visions of a Life [LP]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0889854591526_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Visions of a Life [LP]")
