Maya Hawke Leans into her Identity in Third Album, 'Chaos Angel'
“Stranger Things” star Maya Hawke further proved that her talent goes beyond the screen with her third studio album, Chaos Angel.
The new album, packed with soothing melodies and thoughtful sonic layering, blends Hawke’s classic softness with more explorative elements like intense buildups and abstract orchestral lines. Chaos Angel exudes sophistication and feels like Hawke finally solidified her sound.
Watch the music video for "Missing Out" on YouTube.
Hawke launched this new era in February with the lead single, “Missing Out.” Filled with self-deprecating lyrics, the song serves as a lamentation of the life path she has chosen: “I remember my potential / Before I skipped the fundamentals / Before I ran from safety / Hopin’ someone would chase me.” Despite the denigrating nature of the lyrics, the bubbly acoustics and sparkling synth interjections give the track a more uplifting sound, making the story sound almost comical. Hawke said the song was inspired by a visit to her brother at Brown University, where she felt on the “wrong track” after hearing the aspirations of students.
The album opens with “Black Ice,” a waltz-like track that introduces the record’s theme of the cognitive dissonance that comes with maturing. The song starts off with Hawke’s signature soothing acoustic sound coupled with thought-provoking lyrics like “Why do it right when you can do it yourself / And give up?”. But by the end of the almost five minute track, a slow burn buildup with increasingly layered dichotic melodies, a jazzy trumpet and the repetition of “Give up, be loved” marks a maturity in production.
Track two, “Dark,” was the second single released and combines gentle instrumentals with Hawke’s beautiful songwriting. Lyrics like “We’ve only the moon left to outsmart / But we cannot want our way out of the dark” give me goosebumps. This pattern of gorgeous melodies continues in “Wrong Again,” a song about navigating an old relationship: “I need you, I need you / I wanna be alone.” The song climaxes in the bridge with a grungier guitar, emulating the feeling of wrestling with your emotions.
A picture Hawke shared on Instagram.
The middle of Chaos Angel delivers two of Hawke’s more sonically divergent tracks. “Okay” utilizes gang vocals creating playful harmonies, an upfront, tinny snare and string swells, giving the song an eerie feel. An electric guitar solo with intentional feedback and seemingly random electronic sounds further the uncanny vibe of this track. Following “Okay” is “Better,” a minute-long interlude with isolated, auto-tuned vocals. This exploratory sound from Hawke was a pleasant surprise at first listen, and stands out in her discography.
“Big Idea” is a more outwardly folk song, filled with twangy guitar riffs. Hawke comments on the feedback loop of industrialization, juxtaposing a simplistic lifestyle with militaristic imagery: “We’re just making love on a ballistic missile.”
“Hang In There,” the third single from the album, and “Promise” are the newest additions to Hawke’s collection of calming acoustic songs. The way her airy voice lilts softly over the accompaniment is incredibly comforting.
The album closes with title track “Chaos Angel,” a powerful finale. The song starts out simple: a piano outlines the vocal melody accompanied by chords. As the song progresses, more sonic elements are added and attention is commanded. The entrance of drums, a faster pacing of repeated lyrics and quicker rhythms of strings work in tandem to build tension until released by a sudden drop in sound. The album ends with a fade out of strings playing a melancholic melody. “Chaos Angel” summarizes the conflicting themes of the album, with Hawke repeating “I want you / I love you / I promise / I’m sorry.”
In Chaos Angel, Hawke delivers a thematically cohesive, thought-provoking album lyrically and a sophisticated album sonically. Her deep connection with the arts, as explained in an interview with World Cafe, shines through in Chaos Angel, making it perhaps her best work yet.
Hawke is playing three sold out album release shows in Nashville and Atlanta on Saturday and Sunday.