No Place in Heaven marks the fourth studio release of international pop singer, Mika. It is hard to believe that it has been eight years since he had his colourful debut with Life in Cartoon Motion and the hit song “Grace Kelly”. While this is the album that introduced the world to Mika’s vocal skill and theatrical flamboyance, No Place in Heaven opens up a new chapter of vulnerability and emotional resonance for a far less commercial audience.
The lyrics on this album dig into deeply personal, yet highly relatable themes, such as questioning religion, family acceptance, self-confidence, and inevitable endings. Unlike his previous albums where external characters were often used as devices to tell his stories, Mika writes himself into this album more than ever before, showing growth not only as an artist, but also as a person.
Although the narrative themes have become more introspective, that is not to say that this album sounds any less uplifting or intoxicating than the Mika we know and love. Songs like “Talk About You” and “Staring at the Sun” will easily be stuck in your head after the first listen. Even some of the darker songs, like “Last Party” and “Good Guys”, adopt an unexpectedly upbeat tone. Melodically, Mika upholds his Broadway-esque style, with an eclectic array of rhythms more often found in world or Latin music rather than Westernized pop. The blending of these genres, along with the four songs on the album completely sung in French, reflect Mika’s prominence as a worldwide sensation.