The much anticipated Mylo Xyloto album from Coldplay arrived on Oct 24, 2011. As a lifelong fan of Coldplay, it’s without a doubt that I’ve listened to the album on repeat for the past while, definitely long enough to be opinionated about it. I could just say I love it and call it a day, but that wouldn’t be very interesting at all. So here it is, my Mylo Xyloto review.
The album greatly differs from its predecessor, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. Viva la Vida paints a symphonic burst of sound and enthralls your body with rhythm and life, whereas Mylo Xyloto wakes your ears up from their slumber with a transcendental surge of fresh air and brings forth a feeling of innocence and all the while captivating your senses.
Using a style similar to the style of the Icelandic band Sigur Rós, Coldplay incorporates instrumental tracks with lyrical tracks and unify them in a deliberate manner, to make the listener aware of the sounds as well as the feelings that arise from the album. The album intimately entices feelings, creating an illusion of awakening to a world filled with colour and bliss.
The singles “Paradise” and “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” truly deliver when it comes to portraying Coldplay’s roots; sounding cheerful and affectionate as well as innocent. In other words, they are simple songs that aren’t necessarily flashy and made for mainstream pop-culture. The essence of Coldplay is maintained throughout the album and overall it makes for a very down-to-earth yet hopeful record.
Songs such as “Hurts Like Heaven,” “Charlie Brown” and “Don’t Let It Break Your Heart” all show the cheeriness found in Coldplay, while songs like “Us Against The World,” “U.F.O.” and “Up In Flames” contrast and show the more acoustic side of Coldplay. Furthermore, the instrumentals “Mylo Xyloto,” “M.M.I.X.” and “A Hopeful Transmission” unify the entire album with breaks for the listener to regain awareness of the sound after being mesmerised by the emotions. On top of it all, the one song that ties the entire album together is the song that features none other than Rihanna. It’s called “Princess of China” and the collaboration of the two music-superpowers truly sets the album way over the top with a perfect story-line of music.
The album, to me, is meant to be listened as a whole. While every song performs great individually, the heightened mood and emotional ride taken when listening to the entire record at one time can only be described as “enchanting.” Personally, I feel as though I’m awakening as the the album plays. Going from a dream state to one of being distraught and unaware of my whereabouts in the precise moment of waking up, yet still feeling serene and safe as I would in the comforts of my own bed. Then, transitioning into a mindset of inspiration and feeling alive, I’ve fully awakened my senses and found the motivation to get out of bed and conquer the day.
Okay, I guess I’m a bit very opinionated about Coldplay, and I may have created high expectations of the album for new listeners. But take my word, you won’t be disappointed, especially if you try and listen to it in the same perspective I have.
Head over to iTunes to get the album for yourself!
I love Coldplay! Awesome review. =)