Since launching her recording career at the end of the 2010s,
Maya Hawke
has quietly made the most of her heartfelt lyrics by collaborating with some of the most respected songwriter/producers in the intimate, low-light corners of the business: She worked with
Jesse Harris
(
Norah Jones
,
Madeleine Peyroux
) on her Americana-inspired debut,
Blush
, then teamed up with
Benjamin Lazar Davis
Joan as Police Woman
Anna & Elizabeth
) for the dreamier follow-up,
MOSS
.
Chaos Angel
finds
Hawke
returning to the studio with
Davis
, along with prior songwriting collaborators
Will Graefe
Landlady
Star Rover
) and
Christian Lee Hutson
Boygenius
Katy Kirby
Fenne Lily
). Together, they embrace a broader, somewhat more sophisticated palette while retaining
's distinctly whispery, diaristic style. The album opens in a domestic scene, with
remembering, "It was snowing when we woke up and we thought of staying home" over brushed snare, slowly rocking bass, and waltzing guitar lines. The song ends with multiple vocalists repeating the line "Give up, be loved." The record goes on to reveal several more quiet anthems of a reassuring nature, among them "If you're okay, then I'm okay" ("Okay") and "I want you/I love you/I promise/I'm sorry" ("Chaos Angel"). That song grows from simple, dinked-out piano accompaniment to something lush, lightly grooving, and orchestral as
repeats those lines again and again. Elsewhere, "Better" functions as an Auto-Tuned quasi-round, with other singers following
's lead ("Oh no, don't be sad/I'm the one who made you feel bad¿I can make you feel better in the morning"), and album highlight "Missing Out" takes on FOMO with a warm, full-band arrangement ornamented with slide guitar, fuzz effects, and glitchy computer tones. Generally apologetic, reassuring, and hopeful,
is a comforting album that features some of
's hookiest and most self-assured material yet. ~ Marcy Donelson