Lady Gaga has officially returned to the dance floor that built her early career. Chromatica, a deep dive into the history of house and underground dance music, follows pit stops in jazz (Cheek to Cheek), country (Joanne) and Oscar territory (A Star Is Born). Along the way, she picks up a select group of friends to collaborate with her. Of course, Ariana Grande and Blackpink have their own histories of releasing booming pop bangers, but Elton John’s foray into dance music with Gaga feels like a welcome, surprising touch.
Led in by the orchestral interlude “Chromatica III,” “Sine From Above” opens in a grandiose, cinematic fashion. “When I was young/I prayed for lightning,” Gaga sings on a reverent first verse. Thanks to additional production from EDM legends Axwell & Ingrosso, the track builds into a euphoric big room house number. John’s smooth, deep voice make him a perfect fit, making it sound like he’s been gunning to become a disco vocalist for the entirety of his career.
In retrospect, it feels wild that it’s taken over a decade for Lady Gaga and Elton John to team up on an original duet again. John has long been Gaga’s biggest advocate, performing a medley of their hits (“Poker Face”/”Your Song”/”Speechless”) at the 2010 Grammy Awards. She joined him for the Gnomeo & Juliet soundtrack single “Hello Hello” in 2011 and the pair have had their personal lives intertwined ever since, with Gaga being a godmother to John’s son Elijah. “Sine From Above” is the result of a decade of mutual admiration. It’s delightful to hear the result of that decade turn into a celebratory slice of electro-pop heaven.
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