Celebrating 8 Years Of MARINA’s ‘Electra Heart’

Mike Wass | April 27, 2020 3:06 pm
Flashback: MARINA's 'Heartbreaker'
In a just world, MARINA's 'How To Be A Heartbreaker' would have been a #1 hit.

As anyone with taste can attest, MARINA’s sophomore LP was one of the best pop offerings of the 2010s. Electra Heart celebrates its 8th anniversary today (April 27) and time has done little to weary the genius of the songwriting and the glossy electro-pop production. Which is notable because a lot of music from that era sounds museum-worthy in 2020. What sets this album apart was the Brit inviting the hottest producers of the day into her quirky, art-pop world — instead of the other way around.

After rolling out one of the best debut albums of the decade (all hail The Family Jewels), MARINA made a concerted bid for pop stardom on Electra Heart. And that rubbed certain critics the wrong way. Here was an indie-darling unapologetically aiming for the stars, which was misconstrued as selling out. Imagine leveling that accusation at an anthem as idiosyncratic as “Valley Of The Dolls” or a bop as pitch-black as “Living Dead.” They were tripping and pop connoisseurs knew it.

In fact, the singles released from the album couldn’t be more eclectic. From the accessible club-pop of “Radioactive” (later relegated to a buzz track) to the intimacy and heft of “Power & Control” and oddball, hook-heavy “Primadonna,” each song captures a completely different facet of MARINA’s personality. The common thread that holds them together is her distinctly English delivery, razor-sharp pen and appreciation of a soaring pop chorus. All of those elements are on full display on the album’s undisputed highlight.

“How To Be A Heartbreaker” is about as self-aware and insightful as electro-pop gets. The final single from Electra Heart lays out MARINA’s extremely jaded approach to dating, blessing fans with a how-to manual years before Dua Lipa dreamed up “New Rules.” Not only that, but she also made a statement on pop’s penchant for glorifying victimhood. Instead of getting her heart trampled on, MARINA gladly assumed the role of heartbreaker and didn’t have a single fuck to spare.

As great as the singles were, this is a truly case of all-killer, no-filler. If you haven’t revisited Electra Heart in a while, “Teen Idle,” “Homewrecker” and “Lonely Hearts Club” are particularly ripe for re-discovery. While the album was a little misunderstood upon release, its standing has grown immensely with time. Listen to MARINA’s masterpiece here and check out the iconic videos below.

What’s your favorite song on the album? Let us know below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter!

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