Published by Mason Oldridge, 4 June 2024
Electronic sounds dominate the new album from singer-songwriter Charli XCX, reminiscent of her early days as a featuring artist on Icona Pop’s I Love It.
The album is intended to be a club record inspired by the illegal London rave scene she performed at during her teen years. Techno beats echo throughout the tracklist, though lead single Von Dutch is easily the highlight. Self-absorbed lyrics and grinding, driving electro make for a truly epic dance banger, with credit to producer Easyfun for the impressive production on the track.
However, the majority of the songs feel saturated with varying electronic sounds rapidly changing and appearing randomly, making the production sound messy.
Tracks such as 360 and Talk Talk follow a more traditional pop formula whereas Club Classics features wobble sounds and Girl, So Confusing contains a dark bassline. Sympathy Is a Knife is another heavier option before I Might Say Something Stupid is a reduction in pace, playing over an ambient backing.
Overall, there are some promising sounds on the album, offering up strong potential, but ultimately the record feels unfinished and more like a work in progress.
5/10