Chromatica (2020)

The short orchestral passages divide Lady Gaga's house-pop into acts, giving the relentless beats a little dramatic space. The drop from Chromatica II into 911 makes the device especially clear. Rain on Me is the immediate doorway, but Replay's troubled intensity gives the later run weight before Babylon's strutting close. Bright production carries lyrics about distress and recovery, so the mood is more complicated than a party soundtrack.