It’s been four years, feels like ages, since my favorite artist, Harry Styles, released new music. Fans began to grow hopeless, wondering when, and even if, he would make his return. Finally, as of Mar. 6, Styles released his fourth studio album. I had no idea what to expect, knowing that his albums all carry a different sense of aura, but this production more than exceeded my high hopes. Dare I say, it’s his best album yet?
“Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.” includes 12 songs for a total running time of 43 minutes, and I’m thoroughly thrilled with each and every track from beginning to end. There is an interesting pattern within this album, jumping between songs that make you want to get up and dance and ones that are calmer with a more acoustic touch. While the album is diverse, a common theme of self-reflection and appreciation for life is expressed throughout the compilation.
The album commences with an extremely catchy song called “American Girls.” It reminds me of an old Styles song, matching up piano with drums to make a fun beat. Another aspect of this track that I think makes it unique to Styles’ music is that he has a way of making lonely, sad songs sound so lively. We saw this before with songs like “To Be So Lonely.” In “American Girls,” Styles discusses his experiences with watching his close friends marry American women. He sings, “Cause time will show, That you should try it,” conveying inspiration from his friends and how he wants fulfillment from marriage as well, one day. This song also has a new music video supporting that idea, featuring Styles on a film set, but having stunt doubles performing the big risks for him. If you know Styles’ music, you know his unique, slightly odd music videos (Music For A Sushi Restaurant), and I can honestly say his official music videos are my favorite of any artist.
As for my favorite song on this album, “Coming Up Roses,” a slower shift to the album’s disco vibe, wins that spot without a doubt. It’s the one song on the album that Styles was the only writer on, and I think that speaks to how loving and meaningful this piece is. It’s composed in such a way that it feels soft and intimate, and this is one of those songs I want to analyze every line of and feel its depth so I can sympathize with it. I immediately loved the string instruments, and my love for the orchestra background music continued to grow, especially during the beautiful interlude. Not only do fans hear a majestic background melody, but Styles’ vocals also shine through, reminding me of how talented a singer he is. I believe audiences appreciate when music feels vulnerable, so I could see this song becoming very trendy.
While there are a few other stand-out, slower acoustic tracks on the album, such as “Paint By Numbers” which is a guitar lover’s dream song, most of the album plays with upbeat synth that is full-on disco. One song, “Ready, Steady, Go!” has a super cool bass riff that I see being a blast to hear live, and overall, the whole song just screams good times. Another synth, 1980s-like song, “Pop,” emphasizes Styles’ wide range of unique vocals and sound. He doesn’t usually sing super low as he does in this song, and another thing I noticed about “Pop” is how it reminds me a lot of a Niall Horan song in terms of the chorus. Finally, I feel like I must mention the song, “Dance No More.” Talk about a great bass and song that is so groovy from beginning to end. According to Harry Styles’ interview with Apple Music, he wrote this piece after feeling “unbelievably free and safe.” Those sentiments are felt throughout the song and make me, as the listener, appreciate the good and possibilities in life. The song also discusses the tension of wanting to break away from the boundaries of being an artist, as Styles sings, “Keep your customer satisfied and live your life.”
Styles has had lots of recent conversations surrounding his four-year hiatus, saying the time was necessary and spent on finding himself as a person outside his career. Many of the songs on the album highlight the importance of slowing down and taking a pause from the public eye. For example, in “Are You Listening Yet?” Styles reflects on his time on Love On Tour, singing about how it went so quick he lost the ability to process how special everything was. The song features another tough beat and introduction, and gives the energy of being overstimulated. Additionally, I’ve never seen him experiment with talk-singing before as he did in this song, and I loved it. Styles really gives Djo vibes in this era. Furthermore, “Season 2 Weight Loss” is also focused on this theme. It took me a while to understand the title, but now I see that it’s describing the phenomenon of “upgrading” and becoming healthier, so he could return to his personal “Season 2” feeling refreshed and ready. He also writes lyrics about his nervous anticipation of coming back singing, “You’ve got to sit yourself down sometimes, Holding, holding out, Hoping you will love me now.” Styles said self-reflection is the core concept of the album, and it’s obvious, honest and wholesome in every song.
Lastly, to close the album, Styles sings “Carla’s Song.” I saw a TikTok that said “Carla’s Song” was “Satellite’s” sister, and that makes a ton of sense to me because they both have these uplifting beats and melodies. In “Carla’s Song,” Styles describes his admiration for his friend who sees the magic in life, and he dedicates this song to her. I find these lyrics really interesting: “You’ve been a baby sleeping upon a candy bar, Till your eyes open on the changing summer light.” To me, I gain a message to take advantage of life and all it has to offer. Overall, the track feels happy, hopeful and positive, creating the perfect elements of an ending song on an album.
Do I understand I’m writing this from an exceptionally biased perspective? Yes. Do I know this album was worth the wait and is worth everyone listening to? Also, yes. This album is so good that it’s tempting me to justify a trip to New York to see Harry Styles in concert for thousands of dollars.
“Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.:” ★★★★★
