BRAT by Charli XCX | Album Review
6th studio album serves as a great midpoint between mainstream and experimentation
LISTEN TO BRAT :
English singer, and songwriter, Charli XCX has finally arrived with her new album BRAT, after hyping up the release with several singles. Continuing the trend of her last two albums, CRASH and how i’m feeling now, Charli’s newest album, BRAT, arrives after a two-year interval.
Coming from single to single, I became more and more invested in what was going to happen in this album. Whether it was a bumpy, grandiose, and hard-hitting “Von Dutch”, a catchy love song “B2B” or something more easy-going and braggadocios like “360” and “Club Classics”, I was completely there for it.
And with BRAT already here, I must say I am speechless.
Charli really came and created a psychedelic and ultra-appealing experience that captivates you from the first seconds.
She steps into the album, as the guide of this hyper-experimental journey getting you acquainted with startling attractions.
To give a brief recap, the primary complaint I had about CRASH was its heavy use of a mainstream approach.
What do I mean by that?
I felt like the album was mostly trying to market itself to me, mimicking popular song structures. It seemed like abandoning that how I’m feeling era, for a public reception, which was explicitly highlighted.
But here Charli finds the midpoint between experimentation and her more distinctive pop approach.
For example: In songs like “Talk talk,” the familiar groovy and pop elements that were prevalent in CRASH, while “365” delivers a strikingly different and bumpy sonic encounter.
Charli gives you a bag of surprises, plenty of swings, and also irregular rhythms, making it sound so soulful and real.
She truly outdid her 2 previous projects. The phenomenal production with electronic experimental synths makes a powerful statement about Charli, as an artist. Reaching a grandiose level of production, mixing something incongruous, and making it work.
This album achieved the perfect balance between exploration and exploitation, something Dua Lipa struggled with on her previous record.
Charli XCX here used some elements inherent to her style, bringing to us familiarity that we liked her for, and also exploring some new combinations of instruments that may sound ridiculous on paper, but in reality, create a pleasurable ear candy.
Demonstration of the ongoing craziness here may be a parallel between “360” and “365.” In the latter, Charli samples her own song from the same album, leading to a unique sound that transitions across 4 different soundscapes. Those transitions so seamless and that gradual increase toward the climax was a great closer.
This album is simply impressive, and phenomenal in the way of how distorted, creepy, and fun it sounds.
It’s great that she dropped this record during the summer, as it reflects the light-hearted energy and hints at an easygoing vibe that we associate with summer. Even when discussing sensitive subjects, like breakups, doubts about love choices, and even tackling some social issues, Charli still maintains a playful and engaged approach.
Let’s put this straight:
If you are expecting a lyrical masterpiece, this record might not be for you.
This is about experience and sonic pleasure here, and about a feeling that this album evokes in you.
There is no exact concept here. Rather, you create it yourself from a listen.
To sum it up, this record exceeded my expectations. I really feel like giving it a 10, however, I understand that it still has some drawbacks like its lack of some kind of poetry (AND ALSO AN AWFUL COVER) that deduces a few points in my books.
This project is careless, confident, and impressive moving Charli XCX higher as an artist.
FINAL RATING: 9.6/10 ( AMAZING )
FAVORITE TRACKS: “B2b”, “365”, “So I”, “Girl, so confusing”
LEAST FAVORITE TRACK: “Club Classics”
Scores guideline:
0–2 (dramatically bad)
2.1–4.5 (bad)
4.6–6 (mediocre/mid)
6.1–6.9 (Ok)
7–7.5 (good)
7.6–8.6 (great)
8.7–9.9 (amazing)
10 (perfect)
