May 10

May 10 Coldplay - Music of the Spheres

Coldplay
Music of the Spheres
Release Date: October 15th, 2021
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic Records

Coldplay’s debut album was released in 2000, nearly two decades prior to the release of ninth and most recent studio album, Music of the Spheres. This is a band that really has done it all, conquering every sonic landscape, every theater, every arena, and now every stadium throughout the planet. On Music of the Spheres, we find the English four-piece setting their sights beyond Earth’s stratosphere, beyond the Milky Way, towards a universe entirely of their own creation. Music of the Spheres is a concept album, much like 2005’s X&Y. The concept isn’t incredibly difficult to comprehend; The Spheres is a fictional star system, and each track is representative of one of the planets or nebulae located within its vast cosmos. While the through line of the record is simplistic enough to understand, Music of the Spheres truly feels like one of Coldplay’s grandest and ambitious recordings to date.

This time around, the band paired up with superstar producer extraordinaire Max Martin, the man who is responsible for pretty much every pop song you’ve ever loved (or hated). While Coldplay have proven their abilities as songwriters that can stand the test of time, Max Martin has always been able to help an artist bring out the elements that showcase a band at their catchiest, putting an emphasis on their hooks and choruses over everything else. But on Music of the Spheres, we find the producer helping the band write some of their catchiest choruses while also helping them craft and accentuate the sonic landscapes that the band are striving to bring to life. Writing a song can be difficult, but adding an entire story and layering that into a forty-minute album well enough that it blends cohesively can be difficult, but this production manages to do it well.

The album features five songs that are only stylized by emojis: 🪐,✨,❤️,🌎, and ♾️. Three of these tracks (🪐,✨, and 🌎) are soundscapes, placed within the scope of Music of the Spheres to introduce the record and bring you into the world. No words are spoken, but you are immediately brought into these worlds through the soundscapes alone. The second time I listened to this album, I played it on a sound system that was equipped for Dolby Atmos recordings, and it felt otherworldly. Listening to the opening track on a sound system equipped for this is quite an experience.

The first soundscape bleeds into “Higher Power”, the grandiose opening song that finds vocalist Chris Martin singing gentle verses over a syncopated drum beat, the rhythm of the bass line meeting every syllable he delivers. “Humankind” features one of the biggest choruses on Music of the Spheres, one that is sure to turn every stadium Coldplay perform on their tour into a massive sing-along, cellphones illuminating the room as if it we were in the cosmos themselves. After the galactic and enchanting sonic landscape of ✨, we are led into the delicate “Let Somebody Go”, a ballad that features the band teaming up with the ever-talented Selena Gomez, whose voice perfectly complements this track. A Coldplay album requires a signature ballad like this, whether rooted in heartbreak or existentialism, and “Let Somebody Go” is one that is sure to become a staple in their live catalogue for years to come.

❤️ is an a capella track that finds the band teaming up with We Are KING and Jacob Collier, and it’s one of the album’s most enchanting moments. On Music of the Spheres, sometimes less can equate to more, and it’s no more obvious than it is here as five-part harmonies ingratiate you further into the imaginary solar system we’ve found ourselves in.

The beginning of the rock-tinged track “People of the Pride” is reminiscent of Alan Silvestri’s “Avengers” theme, pulling you with an epic score before launching into something that could fit in on an offering from Muse’s catalogue, with lyrics that speak of a planet facing revolution against a dictator-like madman (“There’s a turning of the tide/We’re no longer gonna fight for/Some old crook and all his crimes/There’s a sewing up of rags/Into revolution flags/Got to stand up to be counted/Be an anthem for your times”).

“Biutyful” finds the band embracing their experimental nature, pushing their sonic boundaries as Chris Martin’s vocals are morphed and pitched up, drummer Will Champion leads the band with a hip-hop-esque beat, and trippy synthesizer lines pop out all around you in the mix. “My Universe” will most likely be the biggest track from Music of the Spheres, not just because it features one of the best hooks from the band in years, but also because it features BTS, a K-pop act that has risen through the ranks of pop music to become one of the most dominating forces in the entertainment landscape today. Their collaboration works rather well here, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they chose to work together again down the line.

“♾️” is a pulsating three-minute instrumental track that leads into the album’s final offering, “Coloratura”, a epic sprawling ten-minute song that acts as one of the most ambitious songs Coldplay have worked on. It works on every level, and there’s something new and interesting to digest at every turn. It’s the perfect conclusion to Music of the Spheres, and it only further underscores a simple fact: Coldplay makes music that is meant for stadiums, meant to be absorbed in the largest landscape possible. Music of the Spheres is an ethereal, dreamy entry into the band’s expansive discography, pushing the boundaries beyond what people can expect. There’s still many more adventures for Coldplay, and it makes me wonder what universe they’ll conjure up on the next release.