By Gio Battaglia / Programming Director
With her fifth studio album, English singer Charli XCX "crashes" back onto the scene with an album full of electropop anthems that keeps a loyal audience, as well as attracts a new one. Tracks on this album feature artists Rina Sawayama, Caroline Polachek and Christine and the Queens.
And the collaborations do not disappoint, “New Shapes” with Caroline Polacheck and Christine and the Queens blends the unique sounds of each artist and creates a united song. It sets the tone for the 80s pop influence that resonates throughout the entire album. Each artist's voice stands out in every part of the song and is just beautiful to listen and dance along to. It sets up the theme of the album that focuses on rejecting love that may be beneficial later on.
This theme is continued on “Good Ones,” which was the first single released from this album, and relaunched Charli XCX back onto the mainstream scene after the success of her 2014 single “Boom Clap” from the blockbuster The Fault in Our Stars, as well as collaborating on the number-one single “Fancy” with rapper Iggy Azalea. “Good Ones” forces you to get up and dance. It’s different from your average pop song that blames the lover on what they did wrong. Instead, with its backbeat and electric rhythm, blames Charli for the way she “lets the good ones go.” This song is the perfect single to the rest of the album and is one huge dance party, while keeping a cohesive sound.
“Constant Repeat” is one of the best songs on the entire album. Keeping the theme of electropop, Charli creates this imagery through the song of fighting with a lover who will not admit they love her. The confidence that radiates in this song is bound to bounce off the song and into the listener, creating this sense of self-worth and how any person would be lucky to have them. Not to sound cliché, but this song will be on constant repeat.
“Baby” is another notable track from the album. With its disco influence containing synthesizers and that catchy bass guitar, she tells the story of finding a new lover after talking about the one she lost on “Good Ones,” and shows her determination in making them hers. It’s a very repetitive song, but not one that you will wait for at the end of it. You will sing each repeated phrase with the same energy as you did the first time. This one has the most replay value on the album.
CRASH is an album that will stand the test of time for Charli XCX and her fans and may even be appropriate to deem as her magnum opus. It has introduced a new audience to Charli that want to see what she has planned for this era.
CRASH is available to stream now.