Electro/hyper-pop singer Charli XCX returns with her sixth studio album, brat, released under Atlantic on June 7, 2024. The singer rose to fame in the 2010s with her features on Icona Pop’s “I Love It” and Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy.” She began experimenting with the hyper-pop genre on her first EP Vroom Vroom (2016) and mixtape Pop 2 (2017), which further elevated her career. Her refreshing take on synth-pop, techno, and dance resulted in the commercially successful album CRASH (2022). On brat, Charli XCX embraces 2000s electro and club with her tight production team— by A.G. Cook Gessafelstein, her fiancé George Daniel, and more— while expressing her voice and womanhood.
Leaning into club party-girl influences, Charli opens brat with “I went my own way and I made it / I’m your favorite reference, baby” on “360.” Its music video features notable names such as Chloë Sevigny, Julia Fox, Rachel Sennett, Alex Cosani, and more. Following track, “Club Classics” details Charli’s eagerness for a messy night out over a rave beat. “Never gonna stop till the morning light / Put your hands up and dance.” Standout tracks such as “Talk Talk” and “Apple” highlight Charli’s long-awaited return to her pre-fame electro-pop roots.
Similarly to “360,” lead single “Von Dutch” opens with Charli referencing her influence on the genre: “It’s okay to just admit that you’re jealous of me / Yeah, I heard you talk about me, that’s the word on the street / You’re obsessing.” With its sleek production and bold lyrics, “Von Dutch” is an undeniable summer club anthem.
Charli weaves her vulnerability, regret, and grief throughout the album. On “So I,” she dedicates the song to her late friend/long time collaborator SOPHIE. “Always on my mind (Every day, every night) / Your star burns so bright (Why did I push you away?) / I was scared sometimes.” With “I Think About It All the Time,” Charli reflects on her future, motherhood, and the anxieties that come along with it. “I think about it all the time / That I might run out of time / But I finally met my baby / And a baby might be mine.”
brat‘s final track, “365,” unravels into a bold, euphoric bass and cycles back to its opener. Referencing the endless cycle of party culture, Charli places her anxieties aside to return to the electric dance floor. “No, I never go home, don’t sleep, don’t heat / Just do it on repeat, keep (Bumpin’ that) / When I’m in the club, yeah, I’m (Bumpin’ that).” Charli XCX’s brat is a captivating journey on truth regarding the messy fun of the party, with rare moments of heartache and desperation. Its innovative production elements, focus on celebrity culture, and throwback beats emphasize Charli’s crucial role in the hyper-pop and club scene.
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