ALBUM THOUGHTS // BRAT — CHARLIE XCX

“when you’re looking in the mirror, you’re just looking at me”

charli finally drops the highly anticipated dance pop album “brat” after much fun fare. if you’re even a little bit chronically online, I’m sure you have seen much discussion about the album. it’s predicted to take no 4 at the charts minimally, and the marketing campaign is said to be one of the biggest reasons for its commercial success.

charli has always wore an electro sound with ease, especially with music presented before in “boom clap” and “speed drive”. At some point, artists may sometimes choose to rebrand their image accordingly. in this album, she further leans into the image of a party girl with confidence and reassurance. In an interview with Chandreyee Ray from vogue, she says “I came from the clubs” and I think that’s something that clearly shows in her mastery. we get a peek of this in 360, which is a relatively colorful. there’s something very self contained about the single - as a first look, it’s catchy enough with iconic lines that pays homage to her peers in the same space. I was quite curious about her sound moving forward into the album - but she leans into it with agency in 360 and von dutch.

the album can be pretty much encapsulates as an existential crisis in the middle of a nights out. she welds the brash electronic sound with such ease and experience. The best example would definitely be club classics and the strobes in the song remain iconic.

There’s a certain escapism and distance when she talks about Apple, but somehow the effects sound more cutting in sympathy is a knife and I might say something stupid. sympathy as a song sounds more manic and fits very well with the image of paranoia that comes from this sense of being pitied. I might say something stupid is definitely one of the slower songs in the album and its lethargy sounds almost intentional, as if the body is too tired to be anything other than being honest. all in all, the production is anything but boring and is a wonderful homage for the music that she frequented

SHOUTOUTS:

📍360

📍club classics

📍girl, so confusing

📍Talk talk