MIKA
Hyperlove (Republic)
With Brit Awards and Grammy nominations to his name over two decades in the music biz, Mika is back with his seventh studio album. Hyperlove is a theatrical and energetic synth-filled examination of love in the modern world: philosophical and exuberant, its playful combination of retro synths and a new futuristic sound merges old and new as Mika outlines the struggles and disillusionment of modernity.
Parts of Hyperlove, such as Nicotine and Bells, are reminiscent of an earlier Mika sound, notably his 2007 debut album Life In Cartoon Motion: a similarly fun feel, with striking, dynamic lyrics. He can offer something different too, though – Modern Times and Immortal Love, both on a distinctly electropop tip – and the album is full of unexpected twists, with tongue-in-cheek, cinematic interludes from legendary filmmaker John Waters.
Hyperlove signals the beginning of a new era for Mika, one driven by high-energy dance anthems, and he’s set to take the album on tour next month.
words MEGAN PHILIP
