After over a two year hiatus and almost four years since his last album, Harry Styles released Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally on March 6. Style’s fourth studio album features synth infused pop songs, and the occasional tear jerker. The disco influence is prominent and makes for a very danceable tracklist. It’s different–but still undoubtedly Harry Styles. The album’s lead single, “Aperture,” came out on January 22nd, and was followed by a music video. At this point, only one other music video has been released for the album for the song American Girls.
In general, I enjoyed the album. It’s fun and well produced, very stylistic. My complaints lie mostly in the lack of bridges and the quietness of Styles’ voice. It makes it hard to hear what he’s trying to say over the loud instrumentation. It works well in solidifying the aesthetic of the album, however as someone who enjoys lyricism, it makes it harder to appreciate. That’s not to say though, that there aren’t some heavy hitters hidden in there.
The album opens with “Aperture”. In my opinion, this is a proper first track. The intro to the song runs about 45 seconds in itself, slowly building up. The titular “aperture” refers to that of a camera lens that controls how much light that reaches the sensor. While I do think this song properly encapsulates the album, it’s not my favorite. I listened to it when it first came out, but after a few introductory plays, I didn’t try again until I sat down for the full album. All in all, I ended up enjoying the music video more than the song itself.
American Girls opens with some very recognizable piano, and features some nice drums. The chorus is quite catchy, and fans believe it’s a nod to One Direction, the boy band Styles was previously in. The music video aids this narrative, as it seems to reference their music video for Kiss You. In my opinion, the drums really make this song, and I enjoy the drive that it brings.
Ready, Steady, Go! sounds exactly like what you would expect from the title. There’s a deep and consistent bass groove that sets the tone for the verses. The guitar in the prechorus inexplicably reminds me of Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD. It’s a brief respite before Styles dives headfirst into the chorus. Here his voice is distorted, and there’s a more techno feel. This is the type of song that truly envelopes you.
Next, Are You Listening Yet? Feels familiar in that drive and depth. The drums in the chorus really aid the insistent questioning. I relatively enjoyed this song, although it’s not the usual type of music I’ll put on.
Taste Back is one of my personal favorites. This is also the one I’ve seen around social media immediately after its release. It’s more muted, especially when compared to other songs like Are You Listening Yet? The gentler ambience, I think, is what particularly draws me to it, as well as an appreciation of the lyrics. The storyline of this ex-lover feels very clear, and the chorus is catchy. This is the song that I come back to when I play the album.
The Waiting Game almost reminds me of video games, or the beeping of a computer. It’s a more mellow song, and definitely sadder thematically. It’s softer and airier in its sound.
When the tracklist was the only thing people knew about the album, Season 2 Weight Loss was expected to be a sobering listen. While it’s definitely a song of yearning, the music itself is more upbeat than it seems people expected. Personally, I find there to be too much chorus here, especially when it doesn’t particularly stand out.
Coming Up Roses, on the other hand, is mostly piano and strings. This is one of the songs where Styles’ voice most stands out. It feels more pure in its production. However, I find it somewhat lackluster. The last strings section stands out the most, the swelling sounds are simply beautiful.
Pop is a stark contrast, and delves right back into the synth and techno sounds. Honestly, it sounds similar to the other upbeat songs on the album. It’s brighter, but at a certain point that same instrumentation begins to feel stale.
Dance No More had a bit of funk that I quite liked. I’ll admit, I thought the line was “DJs don’t dance no more, they sit.” This was another one of my favorites from the album. I enjoyed the echoes and layered vocals that made it sound like chanting from the crowd.
Paint By Numbers strips back to mostly guitar. It’s slower and sadder, and feels well crafted. I liked the simplicity at the base of the song, and enjoyed the lyrics. The central theme of growth made me feel that it was properly placed within the tracklist–second to last.
Finally, Carla’s Song closed out the album. I think this is a beautiful final song. It’s one of the longer songs on the album, and leaves you feeling hopeful. The outro lasts a while, but it’s a wonderful build. It feels happy, like being with friends. It’s perhaps my favorite song of all on the album. It’s upbeat and begins grounded before taking flight.
Overall, Kiss All The Time, Disco Occasionally is truly worth a listen. There’s a little bit of something for everybody on this album and I’m curious to see what this new era of Harry Styles will bring.
