Track review: David Bowie - Blackstar

It’s a fool’s game to write off David Bowie, even decades on from when he was at the presumed peak of his powers. His 25th studio album, ‘Blackstar’, can’t be taken with a pinch of salt, and given the expansive route it’s taking (seven songs spanning beyond traditional length) and this year’s experimental jazz track ‘Sue (Or In A Season of Crime)’, Bowie won’t be resting on his laurels.

But even for a musician so glued to the art of transformation, there’s a remarkable journey taking place across his ten-minute single. Uptight percussion and religious references define the opening half, but what follows is a bolt of inspiration. A wild story gives way to a new chapter, and as the “blackstar” rises from the ashes of death, Bowie struts into new form. “Take your passport and shoes / And your sedatives, boo,” he croons over stuttering horn sections. “I’m the great I am,” runs the declaration.

The way ‘Blackstar’ dives between different states isn’t a fancy new feat for Bowie. But try finding another artist taking on this much new territory when they’re 25 albums deep. He’s more unparalleled than ever.