Charli XCX: how i'm feeling now (2020) (Pop)

For better or worse, most of how i'm feeling now sounds like it was made cooped up in forced isolation with little company but her significant other. The beats remain futuristic and glitchy, like her previous album, but this time more evident spots of industrial influence and a more intimate bedroom-pop-like aesthetic are found. Many of the songs read as confessional odes to love and anxiety but often the songs are not fully realized and rather feel like vague snippets of how she's feeling. A few songs may lack in instrumental progression as well (forever, enemy) leading how i'm feeling now to not be the packed pop experience but rather a collection of intimate sketches.

Best Tracks: claws, 7 years, i finally understand, anthems


C



Avant-pop/Bubblegum Bass/Electropop/Glitch-pop

Charli XCX: Charli (2019) (Pop)

A shiny cyborg of an album, half human from the energetic, innocent nature of many songs, half steel and sheen from the futuristic but bright production, drawing heavily from bubblegum bass and dance-pop, much like her previous project, Pop 2, this time with subtler more introspective songs. However, in consequence, many of these do not develop fruitfully (Warm, I Don't Wanna Know, Official). Plenty of excellent production choices, earworm choruses and vocal performances allow for this album to become an intriguing listen for pop fans.

Best Tracks: Next Level Charli, Gone, 1999*, Thoughts, Blame It on Your Love, White Mercedes*, Silver Cross*, February 2017

A-

Avant-pop/Bubblegum Bass/Dance-pop/Electropop