scattered noise
By Avery Sinclair
The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean was released on September 26, 2025 under Capitol Records. It was produced by Zach Nahome and Olivia Dean, with additional production by Julian Bunetta, Matt Hales, Bastian Langebæk, Leon Michels, John Ryan, Max Wolfgang, and Matt Zara. It is classified under neo-soul and pop music.
My favorite track on the album is “A Couple Minutes,” the eleventh track on the project. The repeating production through the song helps keep a relaxing, calm mood rather than overpowering with a bunch of different instruments. Her voice remains soothing throughout the verses, which helps keep up the tone and mood of this track. It’s a classic yearning song that you could picture in a rom-com while also having a bit of melancholy and realization. When the bridge kicks in, it’s a reflection of romance that is still peaceful, and it reminds you of how it is to let go of someone when it’s truly necessary.
The most played track on the album is “Man I Need,” which streams at 188 million listens. This song is super fun while still keeping that soul in there. It keeps its beat through the drums, with Dean’s voice driving the melodies. A constant throughout this album is the repetition of the production, allowing you to truly focus on Dean’s sophisticated vocals and her angelic chorus, especially in this song. The piano also plays a driving force in the downbeats, helping provide a new sound throughout the consistent drums. This is definitely one of the more powerhouse songs on the album.
I highly recommend this album. It combines both old and new sounds, from the jazz of the Roaring ‘20s, to the pop-centric age of music. Olivia Dean combines emotions of new romance as well as disappointment and letting go, and it is a contrasting but exciting blend. This is the perfect album for a cold day in the house or walking down the street.
Brat by Charli xcx was released on June 7, 2024, under Atlantic Records. It was produced by Charli xcx, executive producer A.G. Cook, Finn Keane, Cirkut, and George Daniel, along with a few others, and is classified in the hyperpop genre. One of the most notable things about Brat is its iconic green color, which Charli xcx created a new shade of green to make the album cover stand out on its own.
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Avery:
My favorite track on the album is “Everything is romantic,” the seventh track on the project. From the first listen, it quickly grasped my attention. “Everything is romantic” comes right off of “Von Dutch,” the first single from the album. These are some big shoes to fill, as “Von Dutch” plays at 124 million streams. However, “Everything is romantic” provides a stark contrast to “Von Dutch,” beginning with an almost orchestral feeling, a clear violin dominating the track. Charli joins in at 0:25, rapping with lyrics that almost don’t fit the title: “Bad tattoos on leather-tanned skin, Jesus Christ on a plastic sign.” At 0:50, the track begins to shift, with a new electronic feel. This change in pace continues until 1:43, with a breakdown. The constant changing of the production allows the listener to stay engaged, while also being surprised at every new shift. This song creates a new idea for the album, straying from the theme of partying, drama, and being iconic. Throughout listening to this song, it almost makes you feel like you’re on a new album, as you move through an always-changing pace.
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Willa:
My favorite song from the album is “365,” the last track on the project. To be honest, I’m not a big fan of pop or hyperpop so this wasn’t necessarily an album I was looking forward to. “365” has just over 100 million streams, making it the fourth most streamed song on Brat. My favorite part starts at 2:34 with a beat that continues for the remainder of the song. My least favorite song is “Sympathy is a Knife,” the third song on the album. I don’t like the way Charli’s voice is edited and I think it makes for a somewhat unpleasant listening experience.
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Avery:
The most streamed song on Brat is “360,” the album's opening track. It streams at 234 million plays. “360” was the album's second single, gaining significantly more traction and attention than “Von Dutch.” “360” began the Brat aesthetic, releasing in May and spreading the “Brat summer” lifestyle. I love “360.” I think it starts the album off strong and presents the vibe of what the album will entail. Compared to “Von Dutch,” I think it presents a stronger lead-up to the album and is reasonably the most streamed song.
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Willa:
“360” is a hyper song. I think that it kicks off the album well and is a strong introduction to what is to come. It’s a combination of all of the other songs on the album but amplified. Like Avery said, “360” is the keystone of Brat Summer. Neon green and clubbing are some of the main features in a Brat Summer, and “360” touches on all of it.
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Avery:
I recommend this album, as it can bring up your mood from a bad day and make you want to dance. It creates the perfect summer party vibe. No matter what you’re doing, Brat is an exciting and unique album.
Willa:
I recommend this album! I think that it is very unique and has a lot of interesting features. There are also many renditions of the album, like Brat and it's completely different but also still brat with artists such as Ariana Grande featured.
Overall, the album stands out in the stream of projects released this year, and especially this summer. Brat created an aesthetic and lifestyle that appealed to a generation and pushed boundaries to make it as iconic as it is now. Brat was Charli’s creation, one that took many years of perfecting her craft to present to the world. Brat is one of a kind.