The Bottom Line
"Heartless" is the first single in a new genre Kanye West describes as "pop art." The sing-song melody is likey to make the tune quickly memorable. However, it is the bleak, cold atmosphere of both music and lyrics that lift "Heartless" above the ordinary.
Pros
- Bleak melancholy feel
- Artful use of auto-tune
Cons
- Slightly too sing-song in style
Description
- Written by K.West, E.Wilson, S.Mescudi, and M.Jones
- Produced by Kanye West and No I.D.
- Released by GOOD Music November 2008
Guide Review - Kanye West - "Heartless"
Kanye West is to be admired for his continual efforts to push the boundaries of both hip hop and pop. His most recent single "Heartless" is the occasion for introducing the concept of a new genre. "Pop art" is simply described by Kanye as making pop music in an "artistic" way. The genre is not to be confused with the visual arts movement spearheaded by Andy Warhol.
An artistic achievement on "Heartless" is that there is a depth and resonance to the song that goes well beyond a surface sing-song melody. The minimalist arrangement and unnaturally perfect tones created by the use of Auto-Tune make the whole recording feel a bit cold and empty. It's an aura of "heartlessness" illustrating the sentiments of loss and pain in the lyrics.
Kanye West has said he is embracing his love for popular culture. This has had the impact of continuing to shift his music further into the pop music arena. "Heartless" is at its base distinctly a pop song and an artful one at that.
