Valentina Quintanilla

The awakening of 2010s pop revival is in the hands of Lady Gaga, stepping in with her latest album “MAYHEM.” After venturing her way doing movie soundtracks, like “Top Gun: Maverick,” “The Joker,” its terrible sequel “Joker: Folie à Deux” and yet another collaborative album with the now deceased Tony Bennett, Gaga comes back to make a full-fledged, full-length pop album. The last time she released a solo album was in 2021, the sequel to “Chromatica,” “Dawn of Chromatica,” leaving audiences with high expectations for her next release.

Kickstarting the album with “Disease,” Gaga’s vocals echo in the distance with a beat that brings into mind a toolbox. A danceable song, it is an interesting approach to start off her album. From the get-go, her 2010s hay day makes a revival in this track alone, setting the tone of the album. Her unequivocal voice powers through the speakers as the track gets more intense.

“Abracadabra” is the lead single of the album for good reason. Dance-pop is saved by the catchiness of the song. It simply sticks like gum as the perfect exhibit of what a pop tune sounds like. A strong backbeat, synths and her haunting yet powerful voice is easily all this song needs.

“Garden of Eden” brings us back a decade with her slapping beats and playful guitar arrangements that make her music the ideal album for a dance studio. Everyone lived the 2010s differently but everyone remembers Gaga being in the battlefront of pop music. Few artists are able to revive their iconic sound, while Gaga does it effortlessly.

“Perfect Celebrity” was the working title of the album, inspired by The Cure’s “Never Enough” but ultimately decided to change it to MAYHEM. It is a less intense, more grounded track, with a slight “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen” vibe to it.

“Vanish Into You” has strong David Bowie influences with the chunky guitars in a glam-rock fashion. It could be perfectly placed in any ‘80s Molly Ringwald movie, yet never losing Gaga’s signature sound also reminiscent of her 2009 hit “Bad Romance”.

David Bowie and Prince shine through “Killah (feat. Gesaffelstein).” In this “Sign O’ The Times” inspired track, her vocals almost mimic Bowie’s accompanied with ‘70s guitar sounds. Gaga’s tracklist clearly goes back in time with every song. A drum solo and the chunky “Fame” guitars end the track, adding a stylish flair to it.

“Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani is the first thing that comes to mind with “Zombieboy.” The track quickly shifts to a shimmering disco sound, with a groovy bassline and the guitars from the last song, slightly reminiscing Chic’s “Good Times” in a late aughts mix. This specific song reflects the versatility of Gaga’s sound yet never fully changing her style.

“LoveDrug” has a strong ‘80s influence, taking bits and pieces from Cutting Crew’s “(I Just) Died In Your Arms.” A strong echoing beat leads the song with her vocals playing through. It is the perfect song to blast on karaoke night.

“How Bad Do U Want Me” samples Yazoo’s “Only You” iconic synth sound. Making one think that MAYHEM might be a scrambling of the ‘70s and ‘80s with her infamous pop sound overlaying it.

“Don’t Call Tonight” starts with a muted synth sound that surprises the listener. The track is fabulous — An infectious rhythm, catchy and has a fast ‘70s riff. There’s a robotic echoing that just adds to her usual theatrics but it is a good track regardless.

Muted vocals start “Shadow Of A Man,” inspired heavily by her 2009 track “Telephone” with some Michael Jackson thrown in the mix. A beefy guitar solo ends the song and lingers onto “The Beast.” Gaga has a fascination for muting at least one element on her songs, this time it is the beat. It is a relaxed song compared to the album so far. This track sounds as if she is pleading for help inside Dracula’s castle.

“Blade of Grass” brings out a piano and haunting vocals that sound like “Even The Nights Are Better” by Air Supply, including some Bruno Mars influences sprinkled in there. It is an entrancing song but it has ghosts from other songs haunting the sound that one cannot fully grasp. A whooshing sound ends the song and “Die With A Smile” chimes in.

Bruno Mars and Gaga’s collaboration ends the album beautifully, the track was released previously as a standalone, yet it had to be added to the album. The ballad proves once again that the greatness of these 2010s pop stars seamlessly blends into this decade, creating a well rounded album that encompasses the sound of Lady Gaga in full essence.