Even though Kimbra's distinct taste from her previous albums is present, by virtue of being permeated by an obscurely dark edge that gives the songs their character, even the peppiest track 'Lightyears' would have felt like an outlier on any of her previous work.

The range of styles is about as impressive as the range of vocals Primal Heart employs, going seamlessly from anthemic indie pop of 'The Good War' to somber quiet storm for 'Everybody Knows', and the from quirky sonic melodies in 'Human' to sparse, distorted instrumentation for the closer 'Real Life'. Lyrics like 'If there's a better version of me/Would you stay for the person I'll be？' making sense in a love song, but also beckoning the listener to stick along for the bigger ride, as it has only just begun. While the lyrics mirror the troubled world that developed prior to the release of the album, there is a distinct double entendre in songs like the feathery ballad 'Version of Me', implying Kimbra's rediscovery of herself as an artist. If Vows was an idiosyncratic record, everything about Primal Heart - from the darker, more driving instrumentals to the determined, aspiring lyrics and down to its amalgam album cover - invokes the theme of Kimbra wanting to take all of her quirky sounds and make them into one unique characteristic. Rather, Primal Heart is a soundtrack to Kimbra's new artistic awakening, a statement that yearns to make the best out of her influences and establish the woman herself as a force to be reckoned with. While the spiritual blow Kimbra suffered due to some of her most significant influences passing is apparent on here, it is also clear that she isn't about to mope or rest on her laurels. The world of music was radically shaped anew with great losses, and great achievements, on no uncertain terms demonstrating that while influence may live forever, the people themselves do not. The period between The Golden Echo and Primal Heart was certainly a tumultuous time to be a Kimbra, or anybody aware of their surroundings for that matter. Review Summary: The sounds of people you used to know become the sounds of somebody you ought to know.

Kimbra album review