It was 74 degrees on a Saturday evening. My friends and I were driving to no place in particular, windows rolled down, as we music through the car speakers.
For the first time in forever, I was finally listening to Harry Styles again.
After nearly four years of silence, Styles released his new album, “Kiss All the Time. Disco Occasionally,” on March 6.
Ever since May of 2022, I've only been listening to Styles' last album, "Harry's House," because of how much I loved it. I was eager to see whether this album would live up to the hype, introduce new sounds or stay close to the style that made his work so popular.
Forty minutes later, after listening to all 12 songs on the album, I found only a couple entertaining. The rest left me reaching for my phone or pressing skip.
Some tracks felt repetitive, almost like variations of the same beat, instrumentals and themes.
Although two songs, “Pop” and “Dance No More,” were catchy and had a fun, upbeat rhythm, they sounded extremely similar. Their melodies and almost-identical tempo made it difficult to distinguish one from the other.
Even though the instrumentals of the song — piano, guitar and drums — all mixed well together, the instruments were a bit to overwhelming. At times, the background instrumentals were so strong that they overpowered Styles’ vocals, making parts of the lyrics difficult to understand.
In the song “Aperture”, the music stretched on for long periods. While the production was strong, these extended moments sometimes made the track feel drawn out and made me lose focus.
Despite some repetitive moments, the album has several strengths that make it an interesting listen.
In the song “Coming Up Roses,” the line “Even in the dark, I see the light” stood out to me for the way it captures the idea of finding hope or positivity in difficult moments.
I also liked how Styles didn’t say it directly, but instead used a metaphor to make the feeling more subtle and impactful.
Once you get past the repetitive moments, the album's disco-inspired sound aligns with the songs' themes and gives the album a lively, upbeat vibe that’s perfect for a fun listen with friends.
Although it may not have stood out as my favorite release from Styles, "Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally." was still a solid addition to his music.
Leave a Reply