Seventeen-year-old pop star Lorde’s first album deviates from the usual Billboard Top 40 glitz and glam. Simplistic, vocal focused, and tasteful, “Pure Heroine” is a departure from the usual radio fare.

The album explores Lorde’s ideas about her new-found fame and critiques the pop genre’s  materialistic tendencies with popular tracks like “Royals” and “Still Sane.” These contrast with heartfelt tracks about her life, friends, and family in New Zealand, most notably “400 Lux” and “Ribs.” While the album comments on the nature of celebrity and the state of the music industry, the album still feels personal and is rich with emotion.

Lorde’s work is simplistic, focusing on layered vocal tracks rather than computer-generated sound samples. Save for percussive elements, the music is almost a capella, showing off her extensive vocal range and ability. However, unlike “The Love Club EP,” Lorde’s first release, “Pure Heroine” has a darker and fuller sound.

Tasteful and refreshing, both “The Love Club EP” and “Pure Heroine” are hopefully signs of a new era of pop music that is soon to come.