Charli xcx’s Latest Album “BRAT” Is Amazing

Pop sensation Charli xcx has done it again, folks. She’s hit us with another impeccable album.

Even if you aren’t familiar with Charli xcx, you’ve probably heard at least one of her songs before. Her feature on I Love It by Icona Pop in 2012 was everywhere for a while and became somewhat of an anthem. Her 2014 feature on Iggy Azalea’s hit song Fancy was impossible to escape for that entire year, and unfortunately became an even bigger anthem. She also had her own hit song Boom Clap for The Fault In Our Stars movie, which was pretty big. All three of these songs were pop tracks, a sound Charli soon chose to leave behind entirely.

Instead, she delved into this experimental, wildly individualized hyperpop genre that she has become somewhat of a pioneer of. She first entered into this sound on her 2016 EP Vroom Vroom, choosing to break away from more typical, mainstream pop music to something louder, snappier, and bolder. Fortunately for us, she has not looked back since. The late, great producer SOPHIE put in some great production work on that early EP. She is often credited for guiding Charli into this change of sound and serving as her professional and personal support before her tragic death in 2021.

Since her turn to hyperpop, Charli has encompassed a large fanbase, gaining a large queer following in particular. Her high energy and her brash, relentless party girl vibe draws many in. There aren’t many who do it like Charli. She isn’t afraid to be loud, truthful, rude, or weird through her music, and that’s what makes listening to her such an experience. She is groundbreaking within the genre she has had a large hand in popularizing, and she continues to break barriers and try new sounds and aesthetics in her music.

Charli’s latest album “BRAT” is so fun and so fresh. There is not a single cut on here that I feel doesn’t belong or deserves to be skipped over. This is forty straight minutes of catchy, electrifyingly modern pop music. Every single song exists to be danced to, even the most heartwrenching of them, while never losing their deeper meanings. 360 and 365 are the fast-paced hyperpop anthems that start and end the record, catchy with just the right amount of bite. Talk talk is an ear worm of a track, sweet and sugary and groovy. Confident and cutting, Charli directs her track Von dutch at her haters, dismissing them as simply envious fans in disguise over these insane, blaring synths in the background.

She also gets vulnerable on the record, her track So I touching on the death of her producer SOPHIE and her own never-before-seen thoughts and regrets about their relationship. She describes SOPHIE as having “power like a lightning strike” and describes being scared away from her charismatic brutality in the music business. Her portrayal of her own guilt and of their imperfect yet emotional relationship as creators in the song is poignant and extremely touching. This realistically honest track is one of the best on the album.

These are just a few of amazing tracks off the new project. All in all, “BRAT” is a jaw-droppingly impressive album. It may be my favorite Charli xcx record this far. I highly recommend checking it out!