Adele has, at the very least, been a very interesting pop artist.
In 2011 Adele pushed a wave of mainstream pop artists returning to a more organic sound in both vocals and production. At first her contribution to that movement stood out as something unique. Adele’s choice in sound was such a stark contrast to the current phase of mainstream pop music, fans saw it as something special and refreshing. However as 2012 rolled in, pop artists such as Lana Del Rey pushed that sonic profile further and pulled attention away from Adele.
I’ve been curious as to whether she would attempt to take back that sound, or use her hiatus to carve out a new niche. With the release of this single “Hello” it seems the former is closer to the truth. The track’s production is relatively held back for the first half and even when it does build up, Adele’s vocals send it to the background, which turns out to be a little bit of a problem. Sonically, “Hello” feels a little confused. The first half fits with the standards for a 2015 pop track but the escalation and Adele’s belting of the chorus sounds like it’s trying to keep one foot in 2011 while embracing where pop is right now. That being said I’d be very surprised if this didn’t end up being used in a number of films coming out early next year. It has that quality, where coupled with a sad scene, would help bring some audiences to tears.
As for what the rest of the album may hold? I can’t say I’m too sure. “Hello” doesn’t feel like a strong indicator of what soundscapes Adele might try and explore in 25.
You can view and pre-order the album on ITunes
Update [11/9/2015]:
So by now you probably know that Adele’s “Hello” has done pretty well for itself. But the people over at ticket website Rukkus.com have taken a deep look into just how dominant the song has already become. Check the chart out below.
