Even though
Kimbra
fans know to expect the unexpected,
A Reckoning
proves she can still surprise. As she views the turbulence of the early 2020s through a personal lens, questioning relationships, identity, and the world at large, she creates moods that are distinctly different from any of her previous work. The droning and chiming electronics that drive the introspective opening track "Save Me" have more in common with
Homogenic
or
Kid A
than most of
's own discography, while "Gun"'s explosive outbursts make it clear that she's ready to rip it up and start again. Even when she indulges in crate-digging mashups like those on
The Golden Echo
and
Primal Heart
, the feeling that she's done putting up with nonsense remains on "LA Type," a funky skewering of West Coast fakeness that features
Tommy Raps
Pink Siifu
backing her up.
's use of hip-hop and electronic music on
fortifies her resilience: she mixes teeth-rattling beats and slinky keys on "Replay"'s recriminations, and grounds "GLT"'s alluring kiss-offs with a massive bass and bars from
Erick the Architect
. When she returns to introspection as the album winds down, it showcases the growing maturity of her songwriting. "Foolish Thinking," a duet with
Son Lux
's
Ryan Lott
, is a tender meditation on how pain can lead to growth. Even better is "I Don't Want to Fight," where she keeps her words and vocals hauntingly simple. As heartbroken and fed up as she is on much of
,
still makes room for playful songs and sounds. It's no coincidence that one of the sexiest-sounding songs, "Personal Space," is about taking time for herself. "New Habit" is ostensibly about meeting and obsessing over someone new, but its taut rhyme scheme and surging choruses feel like shedding a skin.
's willingness to shake things up is one of her greatest strengths, and by going to extremes on
, she delivers some of her most daring and thoughtful music. ~ Heather Phares