Sia’s 1000 Forms of Fear fits its title, meshing together hip-hop attitude, heartbreak, and passion. The album is up to the brim in pop and techno-filters, but Sia’s voice is as bright and intense as ever. Sia, who many may know from the chorus of David Guetta’s “Titanium” or as the singer of “Breathe Me,” which capped off the series finale of Six Feet Under, brings high energy vocals to 1000.
Every track on the album has something to offer. “Chandelier” may have caught your ear, but it lacks the emotional strength and breadth of many of the other songs. “Fair Game” brings violin to the forefront in the first verse yet leaves plenty of silence for the Australian singer’s brilliant vocals. The lyrics are clever, keen, and mesmerizing. The bridge’s cute xylophone solo may not completely fit the song, but it does fit Sia.
“Cellophane” brings out her booming voice for a powerful chorus, but doesn’t skimp on the small details. From beginning to end, the tiny whisper of a rainmaker and a fading heartbeat punctuate the lyrics. Many of the album’s songs follow this pattern: decorating the vocals with sometimes sweet, sometimes exotic noises. In “Elastic Heart,” the background motif is an M.I.A.-like, techno beatboxing mix.
1000 may boast more mainstream-era hip-hop than Sia’s previous albums, but the music is still sweepingly creative. Most importantly: the mixed melody still gives Sia’s overwhelming voice the chance to shine through.
1000 Forms of Fear