The debut solo LP by the Glasgwegian LA-based Chvrches lead vocalist is strong, shimmering mainstream pop, and feels very much like nod to mainstream pop heroines of her teenage years, particularly All Saints and Avril Lavigne. Both feel particularly reminiscent on the stirring opener Something In The Air. Away from the boys in her band, she’s got instead some major pop artist collaborators, including old friend Greg Kurstin, who has also worked Adele, Harry Styles and Dua Lipa. A scattergun variety of styles are on offer, all hitting the pop targes. There’s sparkly Kylie-style synths on the bouncy, catchy Crocodile Tears, playful ‘schizophrenic’ switches of pace and style on Shame, and Change Shapes even has a pop at the music industry, albeit one in which she admits her own hypocrisy within it, of being “a body for hire” shapeshifter, “we’re all snakes but what is a girl to do?” and “it’s a really bad habit playing dead and dumb”. There are all sorts of crowd-pleasing tropes at play, such handclapping middle eights, as well as emotional piano numbers (eg. Oh, Mother), but two of the more interesting tracks include the lithe bass that anchors Punch Drunk, and the darker more innovative electronica sound of Mantra. An enjoyable, clever pop album, pushing in various directions, but chiefly one to escape the restrictions of her successful band to prove she can certainly do it on her own. Out on Universal.
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