2020 Review: “Future Nostalgia” by Dua Lipa
The English superstar’s second LP combines throwback influences and ultra-modern production to create instant classics.
Of all the musicians to make waves in 2020, English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa might be the first to skyrocket from cult artist to mainstream superstar.
Lipa initially got the attention of the public and critics in 2017 with her self-titled debut album. But while her work was well-received, some moments lacked the finesse and clarity of a seasoned performer. On top of that, the rollout of the record seemed slightly bungled, with six(!) okay singles released before the album, while the obvious smash-hit “New Rules” came out a month after the fact.
On her sophomore project Future Nostalgia, Lipa handily solves that problem and more, creating an extremely tight and focused project containing tracks that will remain classic and timeless well after 2020.
She kicks things off with the title track, which serves almost as a thesis statement of her concept for the record. The opening line “You want a timeless song, I wanna change the game” really says it all, and the song embodies that mission. Sonically, she combines 80s-style synth and bass sounds with modern production clarity to create music that sounds both retro and forward-thinking.
