The Golden Echo

Kimbra - The Golden Echo
Critic Score
Based on 14 reviews
2014 Ratings: #683 / 1042
User Score
Based on 168 ratings
2014 Rank: #396
Liked by 12 people
Sign In to rate and review

CRITIC REVIEWS

100
Sputnikmusic

There's pure pop gold to be found here, but also envelope-pushing alchemy that turns these songs into unforgettable aural expressions of joy.

80
AllMusic

An album that just becomes more engaging with time, The Golden Echo lives up to its name: it refashions the best of what came before it into something alluringly modern and a lot of fun.

80
The 405

It's mad and quirky, bursting with colour and passion for her inspirations. It feels less like album and more like a smorgasbord of everything Kimbra loves, and not in a bad way at all.

80
Exclaim!

On her sophomore effort, The Golden Echo, Kimbra hasn't reined in her sonic exploration, yet there's a more cohesive feel to the project. 

70
SPIN

Kimbra delivers pitch-perfect multi-tracked vocal harmonies throughout, but despite its Expendables-esque cast of proven contributors, The Golden Echo is much more about imperfection and imbalance.

70
Paste

At its worst, The Golden Echo is admirably faceless, exhausting in its eager quest to be everything to everyone at once. At its best, it’s subversive pop brilliance.

67
Consequence of Sound

The Golden Echo is a bold and sprawling effort that confirms Kimbra’s status as one of pop’s most flexible chameleons.

50
PopMatters

As well intentioned as it is, with occasional mesmerizing production that flutters back and forth, everything leaves you feeling like there should have been more at the root of this project. 

43
Pitchfork

The Los Angeles-via-Melbourne-via-Hamilton singer reportedly cut the already-overlong album down to 12 tracks from 70 ... the resulting album suggests that she's either a poor pick, leaving out some of her choicest shit, or doesn't know how to refine her ideas beyond adding to them until they sound overstuffed.

43
Pretty Much Amazing

The record sounds like the lowest points of Vows: nothing more than the fading specter of a good idea.

firegold763
66

KIMBRA DISCOGRAPHY #2 (these are old reviews):

It's an alright record, not as good as her first one. This album badly needs songs like "Settle Down", "Come Into My Head" or "Cameo Lover" in my opinion. First half of the album is not that incredible, with only "Teen Heat" really being effective on me, "90s Music" is not my cup of tea at all and there is too much electropop mess in the first half. The second half though completely saves the album ... read more

Wowwowpow
72

Pretty alright. Not as good as her first album though.

goncalocouto
73

"The Golden Echo" is a passionate, powerful, personal, inspiring and cohesive art pop album. It's an ambitious project, but it turned out very well.

✅ Teen Heat | 90s Music | Carolina | Miracle | Rescue Him | Madhouse | Nobody But You

netuniano
89

Teen Heat - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
90's Music - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Carolina - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Goldmine - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Miracle - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rescue Him - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Madhouse - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Everlovin' Ya (feat. Bilal) - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As You Are - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Love in High Places - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nobody but You - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Waltz Me to the ... read more

myburiedchild
80

In terms of a sound palette, The Golden Echo is more refined and cohesive than Vows. But maybe it's just not as iconic? Madhouse should have been a single!! I'm torn about calling it a sophomore slump because I love these songs so much.

95

One of my top ten favorites ever. Amazing production, great vocals... this is just the same level as her previous album. Nice shit.

Purchasing The Golden Echo from Amazon helps support Album of the Year. Or consider a donation?
Become a Donor
Donor badge, no ads + more benefits.
Advertisement

Track List

1Teen Heat
4:45
91
290s Music
3:36
83
3Carolina
4:19
89
4Goldmine
4:41
92
5Miracle
4:49
92
6Rescue Him
5:35
81
7Madhouse
4:05
86
8Everlovin' Ya
4:44
feat. Bilal
76
9As You Are
5:21
85
10Love In High Places
5:15
94
11Nobody But You
5:22
90
12Waltz Me To The Grave
7:30
80
Total Length: 1 hour

Year End Lists

#1/FasterLouder
#13/Sputnikmusic
/AllMusic
Comments
Sign in to comment
No one has said anything yet.


Added on: June 10, 2014