Singer-songwriter Harry Styles is officially back after a three-year hiatus with his fourth studio album: “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.” In his new album, Styles departs from his usual pop tracks, embracing a new, funky, electronic sound.
This 12-track album is short, yet comprehensive. Styles brings listeners on a unique experience, encouraging them to embrace emotions like love while also having fun.
The lead single, “Aperture,” gave fans a glimpse into how the album would sound. The track embraces electronic sounds while still incorporating traditional instruments like the piano. The lyrics encompass feelings of love and anxiety, and how quickly they can intertwine.
“I don’t know these spaces / Time won’t wait on me / I wanna know what safe is” sings Styles.
The album is full of fun, funky baselines, almost reminiscent of Donna Summer and other disco legends of the 1970’s. Possibly the most reminiscent of its predecessors is track 10, “Dance No More.” This track is full of fun background call-outs, with the main catchline being “DJ’s don’t dance no more.”
Hidden behind these electric sounds, Style’s main themes continue to trace back to romance and relationships. “It was tough with the time, but you called me back / And you know that you can tell me, I can take that / Did you get your taste back? Or do you just need a little love?” sings Styles in “Taste Back.”
With each album, Styles continues to evolve his sound. Compared to his first, self-titled studio album, released in 2017, his sound has transformed from soft-rock to pop to this new electronic dance music.
Some of the tracks depart from the electric sounds like “Coming Up Roses” and “Paint by Numbers.” Both tracks feature melancholy instrumentals that serve as an intermission to the dancing.
When discussing the album, Styles emphasizes the aspect of closeness and community.
“There is this inherent vulnerability in people where we are all coming together, and there’s this admittance of, like, we’re gathering to something we can’t see and we can’t feel all the time and isn’t necessarily as tangible as the things that are always around us.” He continued, “There is vulnerability in admitting that we all believe in something, whether that is music, whether that is religion, whatever that is.”
His sentiments are reflected in his one-night-only show in Manchester on the day of the album’s release. The concert, which was recorded by Netflix, Styles performed for 1 hour and 37 minutes, focusing on the crowd, their energy and their experience.
With each track, Styles encouraged fans to get on their feet, dance and sing along — if they were able to memorize the lyrics in less than 24 hours.
“Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally,” is about self-exploration, relationships and most importantly, dancing any chance you get.
