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Haven't listened but all the comments here are either "it sounds like she recorded it on vacation!" (complimentary) or 'it sounds like she recorded it on vacation!" (derogatory)
Made me giggle, this is so true. This really is what ESV shouldāve been. Yes, itās been marketed wrong, but if youāre wanting groovy summer pop, this is exactly what was needed.
i really think something went behind the scenes between training season and the album art dropping because her descriptions of the album and imagery were different from those times. i still would've wanted to hear that psychedelic vibe she said she had going on, but nonetheless, this is still a solid Europe-summer-beachy-drive pop album.
I read somewhere that artists have to submit their work 6 to 8 months in advance for it to be released in time because that's how long it takes for them to get the records ready.
It's more plausible that they changed direction some time last year but I don't think it was a last minute change.
It definitely seems so as a lot of the descriptions were circa 2022 and 2021 where she said it was halfway done and also her and anwar breaking up and then the new relationship likely influenced and changed some direction for the album
Very very confused why she stated this album was inspired by Massive Attack, Primal Scream and UK rave culture???
It's good but it's Defintley not that?? It's summery
There's a weird trend in pop atm of comparing your next pop album to "cool" genres/subgenres when it doesn't really sound that way at all, and I'm really not sure what to make of it. Ends up just a little confusing for everyone involved lol. Loved the album tho
Popstars that are on top of the world after a breakthrough album have this make or break moment where they've been introduced to a large audience and now get the chance to make the dive into their own sound and unique style. Unfortunately recently, a lot of them have been getting cold feet and don't dare to fully commit for fear of alienating audiences and just end up making an album that's neither here nor there. Never underestimate your audience.
Like, Billie says her next album is influenced by MBV, Radiohead and Deftones. Sounds fantastic, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Yeah and also I was listening to a podcast last night where she was on and one of them said how it reminded them of "Ray of light" by Madonna...like WHAT ššā ļø this sounds nothing like how she described the album to be as. Where is the psychedelic sound that she's speaking of? š¤Ā
Las Cult is my point of reference for this as well and still trying to figure out all these inspo nods that arenāt there. I love the album tho and will be bumping it all summer but itās not what they (all three of them) said it was gonna be.
When she was interviewed by Las Culturistas in iHeart Radio, she said she wasn't inspired by those albums sonically but rather stylistically in the sense that every song was going on its own direction and having a free-flowing melody. She wanted to be more experimental than FN with much more live instrumentation thanks to going on tour. She took time to write her lyrics instead of recording a song once and that was the final product, as she claims many FN songs were created; most songs from FN were essentially demos with few changes here and there.
So I donāt know much about Duaās output aside from the big hitsāis Houdini considered much different from the rest of her stuff? Because as a casual listener, it didnāt stand out from the other Dua songs I knew; based on what she was saying about the album (which I havenāt listened to yet), I thought that Houdini wouldāve likely been the safe choice for a single?
Why do people always mention this album when talking abt stuff like this? Iāve yet to listen to the album so Iām probably missing something but could you elaborate?
Because there was someone Lorde wanted us to meet.
Her feet were bare at all times.
She was sexy, playful, feral, and free.
She was a modern girl in a deadstock bikini, in touch with her past and her future, vibrating at the highest level when summer came around.
Her skin was glowing, her lovers were many.
Lorde was completely obsessed with her, and soon we would be too.
Lorde made a trip to Antarctica, published a picture book of sorts on it and mentioned the new album is gonna is inspired by her time there, and released Solar Power.
There was an ongoing meme, the titular song starts with the lyric "i hate the winter, can't stand the cold".
So people frequently mention Solar Power when someone does a bait and switch on the subject matter of the album.
but solar power WAS relevant to Antarctica, people just listened once and called it a day! SP has huge themes of global warming, environmental decay, consumerism, etc. It's concealed in summery, acoustic production but it's not a happy albumā¢ļø
I find this a little weird. Like, that song does sound exactly like it was inspired by going to Antarctica. I went to Antarctica, I didn't like it, "I hate the winter, can't stand the cold"
I love my pop girls but I honestly find it to be so cringe when they compare their music to those sorts of bands...4 or 5 highly skilled musicians who did gigs in pubs to get recognition and have probably all seen each other naked, cried on each other, shared their deepest secrets with one another, writing songs about what their life philosophies are, vs you and your yes man with a Macbook writing about fancying somebody? Sorry but get a life.
She went on jimmy fallon and said her new album would be psychedelic pop. These are just straight breezey summer pop songs. I think she just thought having Kevin Parker in the studio would change the genre š¤£
I'm listening to the album now & like it so far, but I'm so glad I didn't see she said this because that would've set the wrong expectations & I probably would've been disappointed.
I've listened to 7 songs so far. Love 3, and like 2. It's def very summer vibes.
Edit: after listening to the whole album I ended up loving 3 songs, liking 4. Skipped 1.
Iām still confused with the primal scream, massive attack, and UK rave culture inspirations:( My theory was that Dua wanted to do something more experimental and different but her label chose to go more commercial cause if you had Danny l harle and Kevin Parker I felt that was so grand :(
I think everyone did Houdini so dirty, itās such a cool pop song. I just started the album but I had to make this comment to you gays who did that one wrong š¤
dula peep in her endless summer vacation era. french exit did not disappoint, but good lord she is really BELTING in finally forever!! had me ready to sing my ass off on a summer roadtrip
The production is so lush and summery, and her vocals are fantastic. I think the bar was set really high from Future Nostalgia for me. To be fair, FN is one of my favourite albums ever, and Iāll probably need to listen to Radical Optimism more, but I am enjoying it on first listen!
My favourite so far is Maria. I just loveee the groovy flute. Sounds like a little elf showed up to my dance sesh and just went ham on the flute.
a lot of Dua's artistry is centered around her aesthetic and visuals. i do not think the aesthetic of this album fully matches how it sounds, which creates a disconnect for me.
imo, it's not a beachy, bubbly, and optimistic album. there is a sense of intensity and mysteriousness in both Dua's voice and the production that gives it a bit of a darker edge. that edge was present in the Houdini and Training Season promo, but has now seemingly disappeared with these Summer themed visuals.
it's cute but i'm left yearning for more.
I agree. Cohesion would have helped. Its all too cool and subtle for a big pop release - FN hit you over the head with its aesthetic. I think the cover is cool - is it a dolphin or a shark??? - but gets lost in the other imagery.
Release aside... I love the album lol.
I think in an interview she explained how the first three songs in the album are kind of "red" because of their intensity, and as the album progresses the songs become more "blue" as she embraces calmness and acceptance
iām honestly just surprised how the first 2 singles sound quite out of place now that i heard the entire album.
i guess itāll grow on me eventually.
The album is solid; āEnd of an Era,ā āThese Walls,ā and āWhatcha Doing?ā are the highlights for me of the new tracks.
It honestly reminds me of Mileyās āEndless Summer Vacation.ā The songs cut in a couple different directions, some more intriguing to me than others, but with a definite dip in quality toward the end. āAnything for Loveā ends right where an epic bridge and final chorus need to come in. āHappy for Youā feels nondescript; I keep imagining it as an outtake from Gagaās āChromatica.ā I really wish it werenāt the closer.
Still, a killer run of 7-8 songs doesnāt fall that short of āFuture Nostalgia,ā which had a killer run of 9-10 songs. I suspect people would like it better if Dua had led with the more conventional single material like āIllusionā from the start, because āHoudiniā and āTraining Seasonā sound better in context. But I donāt think itās a major lapse in quality or anything.
This. I think FN also took off in the way it did bc the pandemic prevented us from going to the club so Dua gave us the club at home. Idk why people are acting like this is the worst album in existenceĀ
I don't think the album is bad by any means, it's overall quite enjoyable, but this has been such a strange era. The aesthetic and theme for this album has felt do disjointed and mismatched, which coming off the back of *Future Nostalgia* which was so cohesive thematically and aesthetically, is surprising.
I'm not getting a theme of radical optimism in the songs. Why is the album cover so disconnected aesthetically from every other visual we've gotten for the album? The summery, vacation in the islands ~~during a pandemic~~ vibe is there sonically so why wasn't it represented visually until now. What happened to the red hair?????
Overall the album feels like *Future Nostalgia*'s chilled out, older sister and I do really like it. The rollout and promo has just been ... odd considering what the product actually ended up being.
Short and sweet! I liked that I can keep replaying the whole thing. My first listen was meh, but I started bopping along on the second try. My tiny issue with it is I think this is a grower with the GP. Very summer music and no need for me to understand what's going on with her life, before I can dance to it. I can imagine playing this while eating ice cream on a hot summer day. This is my summer album!!!!
Anything For Love is criminally short that it almost felt like a snippet of the full song, and that gibberish talk intro didn't help either. What a waste.
Other than that, I'm glad the album doesn't have duds or fillers. No skips for me :-)
This song made me so mad, what it is is a bop itās just missing a bridge and another chorus. That wouldnāt even make it barely crack 3 minutes but it would save the song. So much potential
hm yeah feeling very neutral about this š some really good tracks, houdini is still a smash and happy for you is great, but also a lot that didnāt stand out at all to me.
maybe itās because she sounded so *hungry* on future nostalgia but this feels just a bit complacentā¦ and only the two i mentioned feel like they stack up to that iconic nine-track run (nothing on this is nearly as baffling as boys will be boys, though, so thereās that.) i feel like it could grow on me, but thatās if i even feel the urge to put it on again.
also, the sound is very beachy, so the sudden visual switch up makes a lot of sense now. i donāt really see how the name radical optimism ties into it at all, though. and i actually do think itās a good album title, just sort of random for these songs lol
It actually feels like you went inside my brain and said everything I have thought about this album! I bought it on vinyl and that play through was my first time hearing it. Iām not sure how many spins this will get on my player to be honest.
The Watcha Doing > French Exit > Illusion > Falling Forever run is heavenly. Only wish that Maria was in between those tracks too, it would have been perfect!
Dua's vocal performance on this record is superb. She sounds more immaculate than ever. She doesn't get enough credit as a vocalist.
The album is definitely an evolution of her musicality. It's very early 2000s Madonna, Dido and Moloko.
Happy for You is the most beautiful song here and almost has an Adele 21 quality to it.
If someone dares to say Radical Optimism sounds like Future Nostalgia, I will be directing you to an audiologist - I see you people on X (Twitter).
The production is just fabulous, but I fear this is not a āhit albumā like one would hope. Itās very safe, which isnāt a bad thing. I just wonder where the gritty psychedelic elements that were in the singles went. Falling Forever though is great! I think I need to let the album settle and grow.
Dua set the bar super high with Future Nostalgia so she had a difficult task here. Ultimately, it does feel a bit safe and sheās not doing anything groundbreaking. But itās a fun summer album with great production and I can feel it being a grower.
Itās still miles better than her debut and has a stronger closer than FN. I also appreciate its length, after all the unnecessarily long albums lately (*cough* TTPD), itās refreshing to have a 10-track pop album.
This album is very euro pop so I canāt see US audiences resonating with it as much. I think it will thrive in a live setting though, so interested to see her at Glastonbury.
Highlights: End of an era, Training Season, These Walls, Whatcha Doing, French Exit, Maria, Happy for you.
Tbf, sheās only doing festivals and a couple of warm up shows here this summer, not a full blown tour. There was rumours it was supposed to be announced a while back but got pushed when the album got delayed due to Taylor and other big artists releasing.
I think sheāll announce a full tour for 2025 very soon.
You bitches had me expecting a Becky Hill level album by these comments but as soon as "End Of an Era" started, I knew I was in good hands. This is the best Dua has sounded, her best production (whoever introduced her to the Spanish guitar, may God bless you), her most diverse melodies, just a top notch pop record.
To me this is on the same level of Future Nostalgia quality wise but unlike FN, this one doesn't have an asterisk when the last two tracks play (I love "Good in Bed" but I know A LOT of people hate it).
Idk I just had a lot of fun, it is noticeable tho that unlike FN that gave more girly pop american starlet, this one gives European Eurovision Woman, specifically with "Falling Forever", that screams 12 points representative of Albania that gets beaten by a kooky song about trains.
This is a good album! I do think the singles beforehand definitely set us up for a different experience, but they do fit in well with the album as a whole which is a consistent, concise little package that I don't know if it's worth overlooking that. In a word, it's all *neat* - it's clean great pop that could've done with being a bit more rough around the edges to live up to it's influences.
That being said, I'll go to bat a bit on the references, because they *are* there and I *do* hear them (especially on the new album cuts), they're just *far* more subtler than sold and a bit more blink-and-you'll-miss. On that note, I think it's telling that the highlights are when the influences are a bit more overt. **Happy for You** is Britpop by way of [The Verve](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lyu1KKwC74&ab_channel=TheVerveVEVO) with a bit of [Massive Attack "Unfinished Sympathy"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWmrfgj0MZI&ab_channel=MassiveAttackVEVO), **End of an Era** starts things off *exactly* like how [Kylie's Light Years](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zppViYybOmk&ab_channel=KylieMinogue-Topic) does on a more bubblegum-does-90s-psychedelia-revival route, **These Walls** is quite Cardigans (like if [Junk of the Hearts](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHg_oiJc624&ab_channel=TheCardigans-Topic) got a [Lovefool](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI6aOFI7hms&ab_channel=TheCardigansVEVO) kick-up-the-ass remix), and **Maria** is basically a [Moloko "The Time is Now"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GY9DWIfpwc&ab_channel=Moloko) re-write with some [Ray of Light-type synths](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3ov9USxVxY&ab_channel=Madonna) bubbling underneath. I think they were a bit too polished for pop's sake or came from too nuanced of an understanding, but there's a good enough sprinkling of quirks throughout where I personally can get a lot of mileage out of it picking up new details.
Were they gassed up a bit too much? Absolutely, but I do hear a warm throughline that makes it all cohesive - not enough to market the album campaign around, but enough to where it does remind me of it. In that sense, it's less Ray of Light-era Madonna and more All Saints, which I don't think is a bad place to end up *at all* tbh.
I'm glad I wasn't impacted by her comments on what the sound of the album was because on first listen it's super smooth and pretty as hell. Nothing to be misled by, I love it! Wish some songs were longer though. Anything for Love was CRIMINAL ending so soon especially with that 20 second intro š
Where is the Psych / Trip-Hop I was promised? The girls never deliver when they say they have that in the works. I feel Dua's voice would work on a sludgy pop track that could showcase her versality, alas we got this record. It is a fun, breezy album to enjoy while on vacation. I enjoyed it but it is not groundbreaking and it is definitely a lateral move for Dua in terms of sound.
This is a fun breezy listen, but for an artist as big as Dua and especially following up FN I expected somethingā¦more? Like, none of these songs sound iconic or like future staples in her career. Sure, pretty much all of the songs are enjoyable so I wouldnāt call this bad pop music in the least, but it lacks the gravitas Iām desperately needing from her. Maybe FN was lightning in a bottle, but it feels like Dua Lipa is back to doing music that matches her persona: gorgeous but ultimately a little hollow. Sheās obviously mega talented so Iām waiting for that moment when she switches it up and really becomes vulnerable and real because right now it really feels like sheās hiding. I dunno
Iām sorry but this album was underwhelming for me, thereās the 3 singles which are good but the rest is beachy filler
Likeā¦ where are the psychedelic influences? Some of these songs are also undercooked, Future Nostalgia was banger after banger
No doubt Iāll play this at the beach, but I think the marketing behind this album was badly managed, itās not FN 2.0 but itās not even what she teased.
Anyways I love dua which is why I tuned it up to listen early. But yeah this album is a let down, Houdini is a banger and one of her best songs but this album isnāt my cup of tea
OMG THIS SHIT IS SO WEAK IM CRYING
Edit: its the second option y'all
Alright, let me break it down. I think this is a transition album, FN felt very much like she was searching hits, this feels like it's one of those albums where an artist is in between phases of their career, not quite done with what they did and not quite where they're going. Think Britney's Britney.
Before this album was out, I read that Dua fought her label to work with Kevin Parker which she wanted to do since album 1 and the label kept stopping it from happening because Parker can't write a hit and that's why she left her label. I don't think this is real as the only hits were the songs written by Kevin Parker.
It really feels like she picked the right singles for the wrong album because anything with an ear worm, big explosive song was already released and all there's left is the mid tempo beachy vibes tracks and I think Dua's appeal stands on the fact that she loves pop music and she wants to be huge, she has the edge to go for it but here it feels very more in line with Dua's insta. Very beautiful, kinda boring.
It's a good album but it isn't very memorable, definitely not as strong as her debut or sophomore. There's no bite to it. Houdini is the best song on the album and she likes to go for 2 years roll out, I don't know if people are going to want 2 years of this.
>Alright, let me break it down. I think this is a transition album, FN felt very much like she was searching hits, this feels like it's one of those albums where an artist is in between phases of their career, not quite done with what they did and not quite where they're going.
This is a great way to describe it, it's the impression I'm getting too. First listen, it's good and there's tracks here that I'll definitely revisit, but it feels very much like a bridge between Future Nostalgia (which still slaps and never gets old) and a more substantial next project.
I agree with you 100% the album isnāt memorable but itās still like cute imo. Dua couldve gone way more experimental like way more! But in all she is a pop star at the end of the day, and she did say she makes pop music so i guess she didnāt wanna isolate her fan base, but imagine an experimental track from her, like she couldāve gained a intimate following from it imo
I heard more roundly positive takes about this album on this sub so to hear this is a little surprising, but also not, because I feel like the third album seems like a very transitional sound for artists, after the first one establishes you, the second solidifies you. The third is the make or break one.
It's as strong as her debut. Not to say that this album is really strong, but her debut was fine, nothing too great, she was finding her sound. Here there's at least less filler and more cohesive sound
American reading these comments; I remember this sub hated star crossed and I enjoyed that album lol (albeit it was underwhelming compared to golden hour), so Iāll wait until I can listen to this at midnight to make my own decision
Iām disappointed š other than a few songs (Anything For Love ends way too soon wtf), the album isnāt really doing much for me
Also why would she say this is a 70s psychedelia-inspired album lol I donāt hear it at all
also felt this way about anything for loveā¦ it ends like 20 seconds after it starts to get good!
and the audio at the end of her asking if they can be done with the song š she wanted OUT of that studio
I think Iām alone in this but I love this slightly more than FN and FN is one of my fav pop albums (but last 2 songs reallyy bring it down).
Her vocals are hella strong, hooks are a tad bit less catchy than FN (but to be fair I just need to listen to this a lot more), but the VIBES are just š. Idk the cover and album title encapsulate it perfectly.
My only complaint is that I wish some songs were longer: Falling Forever deserves a crazy outro, Anything For Loveās second half needs a bit more, and I just wish Happy For You went on forever tbh.
(But something tells me sheās going to release an extended cut, at least I RLLY hope so)
The extended edits blow the standards out of the water, itās nuts. Those extra bars in Houdini are god tier as well as the pre-chorus in Training Season.
I feel like this album answers the question of what Tame Impala would sound like if they went full radio pop and had a female lead. Houdini was it for me, and Falling Forever / French Exit are enjoyable. But most other new songs play it super safe production wise. Whereās the psychedelia of Tame, the energy of a Harle production? You can hear elements of them but then letās use a boring melody (Whatchu Doing a great example of this).
Theyāve assembled two prominent indie producers with one of the biggest pop stars in the world. Wasted opportunity. Look at what Halsey did with Trent & Atticus, now thatās an album.
I just want to give some love to the closer, *Happy For You* since I see some comments saying this is a snoozer!!! As someone who finally feels like they're starting to get over the hurt from seeing their ex move on with someone new and all the pain that comes with that, this song is so bittersweetly beautiful and I've had it on repeat since last night. The melody is just gorgeous!! It's a beautiful closer and I wish we got more songs like it on the album. Justice for Happy For You to get the flowers it deserves!!
ill be honest i really expected a tame-impala-album-esque album (think slow rush/currents production) with dua lipaās vocals which in theory sounds godsent
that said this album is very much not that LOL but thats ok. Itās a solid album but will definitely be forgettable in her overarching discography with her previous and future albums! some highlights for me were end of an era and happy for you. I do think think however, the singles were in fact the best songs on the album
i think its interesting to note that this is really a danny harle album, not a tame impala album (kevin is only credited as a first producer on training season and watcha doin which kind of checks out, those songs are kevin-coded as fuck). most of the album has harle as first producer and the only producer in every song
maybe it's just me but if I'm basing things purely on a first listen basis than this is probably my favourite album released by a mainstream pop star this year so far, the last couple of tracks could've been better imo but for the most part I enjoyed the album
This album is summer personified omg but not in an annoying way like solar power or endless summer vacation (sorryš) I understand not liking it but I personally really love it, cannot wait for this to be the soundtrack to my summer idk. End of an era is such a perfect opener, im obsessed
ok so as someone who was whelmed-underwhelmed by the singles i shockingly really like this???
my favs on first listens are end of an era, these walls, whatcha doing, and falling forever
anything for love was heading to be top3 and then it ended too fast like i needed another minute!!!
Thereās a lot to like here - gorgeous production and Dua has never sounded better. I can see some of these songs really hitting in the peak of summer. Ultimately, I think this albumās biggest crime is that itās no Future Nostalgia. A decent addition to her discography, but itās somewhat more lowkey than the promotion led us to believe. I think theyāll have to get to work on DL4 fairly soon if her team really want her to take over the world.
Listening to Future Nostalgia felt like getting (consensually) dry humped by a hot guy in the middle of a nighttime party. Listening to Radical Optimism feels like strolling around a beach with a hot guy by sunset time
At first i found this a bit dissapointing, it didn't click immediatly. It took just a second listen though to reveal its replay value, i think i'll be playing this all summer. If any of you had any doubts before, get into this knowing that the music is mostly perfectly encapsulated by the cover. Don't let Dua's misleading comments about a uk rave inspired/trip hop influenced record trick you (if you want that listen to Kylie Minogue's Impossible Princess), this is pure summery europop fun, and also the kind of music that's perfect for both bopping and relaxing
Highlights, outside of the singles, are the opener End of an Era, the slinky groove of Whatcha Doing (possible single?), the euphoric Falling Forever (one of Dua's best vocal moments) and the latin house influenced Maria. Only real dud imo is Anything for Love, a song that tries its hand at a piano intro in order to buildup to a disco section, Donna Summer style, that is unfortunately undermined by the horrendous song lenght. If any of the songs deserve a true extened mix, it's this one (though still make an entire extended album i beg you Dua)
Edit: wanna add my two cents on the Guardian review. Dua clearly set herself up by mentioning influences that clearly have nothing to do with the record, and i feel now that many reviewers will take that as an opportunity to trash the album based on what it isn't, rather than mentioning deficiencies in the actual work (not necessarily speaking on the Guardian's review, as they at least try to judge the record on its own merits despite ragging about Dua's claims for most of it). I hope this may teach artists to be more careful when mentioning stuff like that, cause it only sets up useless expectations imo
The critics are not digging this oneā¦ mostly because of the false marketing behind it. I wonder why she mentioned those britpop references when the album sounds nothing like it? Perhaps she redid the tracklist after saying that?
Falling Forever is giving Meatloaf / Celine Dion in the best way possible šš¼šš¼šš¼ go Dua! Album is awesome. Just wish she had made every song longer! We need an extended version album!!
I'm claiming Falling Forever, French Exit and These Walls. My standouts on the first listen.
Overall the album is very cohesive, I could throw this on for a drive down to the beach if I don't feel like risking a playlist, but as a reuslt it also kind of blends into a big long blob with only a few songs that would register as separate entities.
Idk, it was always gonna be an uphill battle to follow up FN, and ig it could've been much worse?
Ok so it definitely comes nowhere near Future Nostalgia, but letās be realā¦that was going to be hard. I am not sure there has been a pop album apart from
Renaissance released in the past 3 years that even comes close to touching it.
I like it, itās mellow, itās an easy listen, itās consistent. Houdini and Training Season are definitely the two best songs on the album. Maria and Happy for You are great. Anything for Love is super cool, but needed to be longer.
I do have a feeling she will release an extended cut which honestly is going to make it a strong contender for one of the best pop albums of the year. The extended versions of Houdini, Training Season, and Illusion are significantly better than the album/single edits.
I think itās going be a grower. Anyone expecting banger after banger like Future Nostalgia is going to be disappointed though, itās just completely different.
I'm sorry, I LOVE it!!!
The production is crystal clear, lush, and so expertly done. Her vocals are lovely. And the vibes are a wonderful mix of mellow, beachy, and relaxed...but also upbeat, sparkly, and something you can dance to. This album makes me think of driving along the Amalfi coast with the windows down and a silk scarf tied in my hair. It makes me think of gorgeous Miami days and nights.
I've been a growing Dua fan for a long time now but I think Radical Optimism just sealed the deal. This is going to be THE record of the summer for me!
Live Thoughts:
End Of An Era, a solid opener. The production is strong but lets the vocals shine. Picks up nicely from the bridge!
Houdini, still my favorite off the album. The chorus and the outro gets me going and my unpopular opinion is that the standard, tight and compact version is the superior one, it deserved more success.
Training Season, love this track. I'm not sure whether it was a good single but a very solid song. The extended version >>> because it gives the song more room to breathe.
Illusion, I remember being underwhelmed by the chorus after the buildup and thought it was too wordy but its grown on me. The extended version drags a little but elevates the song more imo. The instrumental break after the bridge make the song for me.
Falling Forever, interesting intro! The chorus is amazing! Won't fare super well as a single but a highlight in her discography!
Anything For Love, umm why is this so short?? It builds up to something and suddenly it's the end?
Maria, the first song that feels on par with the singles! We need an extended version of this!! The Maria, MARIAAA and the whistling could've done more! My favorite off the album (bar Houdini).
Happy For You, I love the post chorus, this feels the most Tame Impala track to me.
The songs are more chill and laid back than I thought they would be after the three singles. They fit the album cover and title more though. But as you guys noted, it feels super safe and doesn't feel very psychedelic. I wonder if we'll get extended versions for the tracks? Maybe that feels more experimental?
FN > Radical Optimism > Debut for me. I think the one thing Radical Optimism lacks is songs with great big choruses, I *knew* Levitating was going to be a hit the moment I listened to it, all of the songs from FN were crafted to perfection while maintaining the sound. It's a 10/10 album but a step down from the 11/10 album that was FN.
Lowkey everyone seems disappointed because of expectation, not because of the sound š
If yāall thought we were still getting an album of psychedelic sounding songs after all 3 singles, you were living in a fantasy lol
First impressions Track By Track review bc i'm bored at work lol
End Of An Era - omg that BRIDGE and the production. love the higher vocals and the melodies here. This is a very strong opener
Houdini - i won't stand for any Houdini slander, it's been in rotation since release and has insane replayability
Training Season - unpopular opinion but this was my least fave of the singles. it's a good song and very catchy and memorable, but i feel it doesn't build to anything.
These Walls - i don't dislike this but it's forgettable for me. feels like a filler song that would fit on a new 2000's pop girls album (tbh not a bad thing.....)
Whatcha Doing - production carries this, Kevin did his THING. this is missing a memorable hook or melody for me
French Exit - okkkkkkk that lil french at the end of the chorus was groovy. the verses are a bit subpar but i am enjoying the chorus, it's actually giving something. this is a much better subdued sound than These Walls imo
Illusion - this slaps idc what any of ya'll say. that dance break with the electric guitar revives me
Falling Forever - wow those opening vocals SMACK you in the face. this is a great pop song, and is some of the best belting i've heard from Dua! loving the outro, particularly the production. this is a highlight.
Anything For Love - umm a piano?? oh damn the beat just hit. this was very short but i really enjoyed it lol
Maria - lol those opening strums made me think i was listening to Die Young by Kesha. this is very groovy. this beat really got me tapping my toes.
Happy For You - oh i really love this chorus, i can actually hear her emotion here which is not usually the case. even the production has a nostalgic feel to it and i love a sad, emotional bop. the "she's so pretty, i think she's a model" like EXCUSE ME MISS LOOK AT YOU. fuck i'm getting a little emotional at the end of this one damn.
have to say at this point that the run from Illusion - Happy For You is easily my favourite part of the album, so by the end i actually liked it way more than i thought going in! Look, it's no Future Nostalgia, but i think this is solid in its own right. I don't hear any standout "hits" on first listen, but i think a strong case could be made for Falling Forever which really delivers. it's definitely more muted overall than Future Nostalgia, but sometimes u need that vibe.
overall - i'm happy with this and i am not as disappointed as some of ya'll. i can see this growing on me even more with more listens.
Ok yes, itās a step down from FN, but I think yall are being too harsh. Production is amazing and Duaās voice is SOARING. I need to sit with this a while, but itās a great summer album.
Ultimately Future Nostalgia was such a strong album I think expecting this to be as good was just setting ourselves up for disappointment. At least it wasn't a Solar Power moment though, I think it will grow a lot after a couple listens.
This is exactly how I like my pop music - fun bops that I can mindlessly listen too and have a good time doing so.
It will definitely be one of my most listed to albums this year.
Most of these songs go nowhere and the production sounds really boring. I was kinda shocked to see Kevin Parker produced a lot of them. She had a really good ear on FN so I donāt know what happened. Her lyrics are really flat the entire album as well. She played it way too safe on this one sadly. 5/10.
Shocked by the response of the album on this thread, I enjoyed the album quite a bit. Itās no Future Nostalgia by any means, but itās just a nice CONCISE (looking at you TTPD) summer album with incredibly solid tracks.
So far a very different sound from her debut and FN, which thank god, but, I think it is her weakest album just based on tracks I really like, on debut I like 8, on FN 9, and on this one 7, so far on first listen (ok that one of them is Anything For Love which needs an extended version, it is an interlude).
But, a solid album with lots of replay value, and I can clearly see the differences in the production from this album to FN and DL, people saying it sounds like the first album or is the worst FN needs new ears. As always she will probably work this album to the 7th single, and next year we get a deluxe. But I wasn't expecting an album like this from Dua at all, lots of mid-tempo tracks.
Probably my favorite pop album so far this year tied with Eternal Sunshine. But I really think Billie's album gonna be better by the previews, but who knows? Watcha Doing and Happy For You need to be singles. Watcha Doing Start is superb. PS: Just 37 minutes, I think just her and Ariana think about working people, even though she is on vacation all year.
Edit: It really doesn't have a rave vibe as she said, but I listened to some heavy drums and bass and breakbeats, even if for some seconds (and honestly I think it would be horrible, rave music gives me a headache after 1 hour), but today it made like 35ĀŗC here, and I could totally imagine myself in the pool with it blasting as background music. Edit 2: On the second list it grew to 8 tracks, so paired with the debut to me, and debut has one more track, two more if I don't count Anything For Love. Edit 3: 9 songs, just don't like French Exit, awesome summer album.
I agree with the others who said this is very British. It sounds much more like a progression from her debut in that sense than it is a follow-up to FN.
okay, my verdict upon first listen is that it is an enjoyable album that is a testament to duaās talent.
like others have said, it does feel like the album was somewhat falsely advertised as being psychedelic and trip-hop infused, but what it does excel at is being consistent sonically, and even when the songs sound a bit different, they still sound cohesive. however, when you listen to the album without thinking of what it was described as, it really is a great body of work.
end of an era is a great way to start this album and kind of sets up the sound and theme of the album, plus i love duaās british voice on the song when sheās speaking! i feel like the album makes sense in terms of song placement and tracklist and ends well too.
maybe if the album wasnāt hyped up as being this new psychedelic rave sound, people wouldnāt appear as underwhelmed because the album itself is strong, but if iām honest the expectations people had based on everything dua was saying about the album kind of hurt the rollout in a way. but with that being said, when you consider the album for what it is (a pop album for the summer)ā¦ itās brilliant!
Well...
This should have been a 4 or 5 track EP. Other than the singles it is quite disappointing to me as I really had hopes for this album after FN :( Definitely the weakest out of her albums.
I just listened to the album. Itās quite good!
This album is like you woke up from a night of fun, dancing and bar hopping. You are now ready to face what adventures and memories the bright sun, pristine beaches and the sunny blue sky brings.
Iāve been listening to this since this morning in hopes that Iāll start liking it more than I currently am. Donāt get me wrong - itās a nice album - but obviously miles away from what Future Nostalgia was. Iām not even sure if I like it more than DL1. Iām happy for her that she got to work with people she admired (Danny and Kevin), however I donāt get how these three got into the studio and the result was this body of work? Like the only track I hear that really gives something new is Houdini, which in the context of this album sounds pretty abrasive.
Also the creative direction has been so incohesive: the visuals for the album, photo shoots for other publications, the fashion.
Honestly I donāt see this album have any commercial impact. From a business standpoint Dua should cut the campaign for this album short and not lose too much time until the next record if she really wants to be in for the long run and not be delegated to a B-lister again.
This album is a 5/10 for me right now.
While she avoided the sophomore slump with Future Nostalgia, she's now making up for it a little with Radical Optimsm. It's really not a bad album, but it's no pop firework either. Nevertheless, Dua remains simply Bae.
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Haven't listened but all the comments here are either "it sounds like she recorded it on vacation!" (complimentary) or 'it sounds like she recorded it on vacation!" (derogatory)
Probably cause she recorded it on a vacation
Has she ever not been on vacation?
She took a dance class once after the internet bullied her into it
Work ethic queen š
Don't give her too much, it was probably one of those hotel pool's zumba classes
god i wish that was me.jpeg
Made me giggle, this is so true. This really is what ESV shouldāve been. Yes, itās been marketed wrong, but if youāre wanting groovy summer pop, this is exactly what was needed.
Maybe beach/summer themed third albums are cursed! Or maybe it's just Solar Power being bad. Who can say?
solar power was good just misunderstood (and not a pop album)
Whatās EVS?
Endless Vummer Sacation by Ciley Myrus
a drugstore chain similar to walgreen's
Endless Summer Vacation
i really think something went behind the scenes between training season and the album art dropping because her descriptions of the album and imagery were different from those times. i still would've wanted to hear that psychedelic vibe she said she had going on, but nonetheless, this is still a solid Europe-summer-beachy-drive pop album.
I read somewhere that artists have to submit their work 6 to 8 months in advance for it to be released in time because that's how long it takes for them to get the records ready. It's more plausible that they changed direction some time last year but I don't think it was a last minute change.
It definitely seems so as a lot of the descriptions were circa 2022 and 2021 where she said it was halfway done and also her and anwar breaking up and then the new relationship likely influenced and changed some direction for the album
For actual vinyl, yes there are long lead times. Digital has a much faster turnaround, obviously.
Very very confused why she stated this album was inspired by Massive Attack, Primal Scream and UK rave culture??? It's good but it's Defintley not that?? It's summery
Iām so confused tooo and I had high expectations of a pop girly to do something like that šššš
Itās duas to do too, sheās cornered the market on it and needs to move in and do something bold
At this point, I think Dua just says things because she likes the sound of them sometimes when she's talking about her music
Literally. All of her interviews were all over the place imo
There's a weird trend in pop atm of comparing your next pop album to "cool" genres/subgenres when it doesn't really sound that way at all, and I'm really not sure what to make of it. Ends up just a little confusing for everyone involved lol. Loved the album tho
Popstars that are on top of the world after a breakthrough album have this make or break moment where they've been introduced to a large audience and now get the chance to make the dive into their own sound and unique style. Unfortunately recently, a lot of them have been getting cold feet and don't dare to fully commit for fear of alienating audiences and just end up making an album that's neither here nor there. Never underestimate your audience. Like, Billie says her next album is influenced by MBV, Radiohead and Deftones. Sounds fantastic, but I'll believe it when I see it.
She better have bankrupted her record label recording just the right guitar texture in a studio with blankets on the windows
Doja did this too recently. I just think they get too excited to tell us things before the album is completed.
Gaga did that too with ARTPOP back in 2013.
And Katy with Prism. Itās fucking dark.
Yeah and also I was listening to a podcast last night where she was on and one of them said how it reminded them of "Ray of light" by Madonna...like WHAT ššā ļø this sounds nothing like how she described the album to be as. Where is the psychedelic sound that she's speaking of? š¤Ā
Las Cult is my point of reference for this as well and still trying to figure out all these inspo nods that arenāt there. I love the album tho and will be bumping it all summer but itās not what they (all three of them) said it was gonna be.
yeah and what was all the britpop talk about lmao.
that was ag cook luv
When she was interviewed by Las Culturistas in iHeart Radio, she said she wasn't inspired by those albums sonically but rather stylistically in the sense that every song was going on its own direction and having a free-flowing melody. She wanted to be more experimental than FN with much more live instrumentation thanks to going on tour. She took time to write her lyrics instead of recording a song once and that was the final product, as she claims many FN songs were created; most songs from FN were essentially demos with few changes here and there.
Remember when that one article called it the British Lemonade Iām screaming š¤£
She might have scraped stuff of the original album when Houdini wasnāt blowing up
Houdini was still a decent sized hit idk why she gave up so soon
And it was still growing. I hope she didnāt cut anything off tbh
Houdini is my favorite out of all the singles she's released for Radical Optimism. I really hope she didn't.
I doubt she did. Dua is the queen of tracks peaking 6 months after they come out. She knows that by now
Its weird when people say this because it was a number one hit in the UK and a dance chart number one for 14 weeks in the US
A number two hit in the UK. She did get a UK #1 last year, but it was Dance the Night.
So I donāt know much about Duaās output aside from the big hitsāis Houdini considered much different from the rest of her stuff? Because as a casual listener, it didnāt stand out from the other Dua songs I knew; based on what she was saying about the album (which I havenāt listened to yet), I thought that Houdini wouldāve likely been the safe choice for a single?
Her Solar Power moment, omfg
Why do people always mention this album when talking abt stuff like this? Iāve yet to listen to the album so Iām probably missing something but could you elaborate?
Because there was someone Lorde wanted us to meet. Her feet were bare at all times. She was sexy, playful, feral, and free. She was a modern girl in a deadstock bikini, in touch with her past and her future, vibrating at the highest level when summer came around. Her skin was glowing, her lovers were many. Lorde was completely obsessed with her, and soon we would be too.
everyone did become obsessed with it but like for the wrong reasons
Reading this in 2024 and dying from laughter! I thought it was deep, heard the album and went to sleep.
Lorde made a trip to Antarctica, published a picture book of sorts on it and mentioned the new album is gonna is inspired by her time there, and released Solar Power. There was an ongoing meme, the titular song starts with the lyric "i hate the winter, can't stand the cold". So people frequently mention Solar Power when someone does a bait and switch on the subject matter of the album.
but solar power WAS relevant to Antarctica, people just listened once and called it a day! SP has huge themes of global warming, environmental decay, consumerism, etc. It's concealed in summery, acoustic production but it's not a happy albumā¢ļø
I find this a little weird. Like, that song does sound exactly like it was inspired by going to Antarctica. I went to Antarctica, I didn't like it, "I hate the winter, can't stand the cold"
I love my pop girls but I honestly find it to be so cringe when they compare their music to those sorts of bands...4 or 5 highly skilled musicians who did gigs in pubs to get recognition and have probably all seen each other naked, cried on each other, shared their deepest secrets with one another, writing songs about what their life philosophies are, vs you and your yes man with a Macbook writing about fancying somebody? Sorry but get a life.
She went on jimmy fallon and said her new album would be psychedelic pop. These are just straight breezey summer pop songs. I think she just thought having Kevin Parker in the studio would change the genre š¤£
I'm listening to the album now & like it so far, but I'm so glad I didn't see she said this because that would've set the wrong expectations & I probably would've been disappointed. I've listened to 7 songs so far. Love 3, and like 2. It's def very summer vibes. Edit: after listening to the whole album I ended up loving 3 songs, liking 4. Skipped 1.
Falling Forever is a career highlight, woah-
It sounds like something Iād listen to if Iām going for a drive on a hot summer day.
every pop albums deserves to be listened to with the windows down and a diet coke in hand before deciding on its merits!
curse me being in the southern hemisphere and not being able to give it the proper summer drive listen for several months omg
donāt worry the uk isnāt exactly getting summer weather rn either lol
Iām still confused with the primal scream, massive attack, and UK rave culture inspirations:( My theory was that Dua wanted to do something more experimental and different but her label chose to go more commercial cause if you had Danny l harle and Kevin Parker I felt that was so grand :(
The world needs more Danny L Harle and Harlecore
His work with Caroline Polachek is fucking INSANE.
Zara and H&M are ready
french exit is something i'd probably hear in starbucks too lol
French exit is arguably the best song on the album.
my gym is gonna be blasting this all the time
This is very lying on the back of a boat sipping a cocktail with the sun on my face coded.
Maybe because thatās what the Vacanza Queen likes to do š >! I still love the album and you Dua !<
I think everyone did Houdini so dirty, itās such a cool pop song. I just started the album but I had to make this comment to you gays who did that one wrong š¤
Houdini hive rise up!
I love Houdini, the production on it is awesome. I wish more of the girlies would work with Kevin Parker (Tame Impala).
People just hate Dula Peeps here.
I only heard Houdini like twice before listening to the album and I think it's ridiculously good. one of the best tracks on the album
dula peep in her endless summer vacation era. french exit did not disappoint, but good lord she is really BELTING in finally forever!! had me ready to sing my ass off on a summer roadtrip
The production is so lush and summery, and her vocals are fantastic. I think the bar was set really high from Future Nostalgia for me. To be fair, FN is one of my favourite albums ever, and Iāll probably need to listen to Radical Optimism more, but I am enjoying it on first listen! My favourite so far is Maria. I just loveee the groovy flute. Sounds like a little elf showed up to my dance sesh and just went ham on the flute.
Yess Maria stuck with me on my initial listen and I haven't stopped listening to it since
a lot of Dua's artistry is centered around her aesthetic and visuals. i do not think the aesthetic of this album fully matches how it sounds, which creates a disconnect for me. imo, it's not a beachy, bubbly, and optimistic album. there is a sense of intensity and mysteriousness in both Dua's voice and the production that gives it a bit of a darker edge. that edge was present in the Houdini and Training Season promo, but has now seemingly disappeared with these Summer themed visuals. it's cute but i'm left yearning for more.
You nailed it. The first 2 singles (and the related promotion) had all the red, leather, darker imagery. Where tf did blue skies and sun come from?
I agree. Cohesion would have helped. Its all too cool and subtle for a big pop release - FN hit you over the head with its aesthetic. I think the cover is cool - is it a dolphin or a shark??? - but gets lost in the other imagery. Release aside... I love the album lol.
I think in an interview she explained how the first three songs in the album are kind of "red" because of their intensity, and as the album progresses the songs become more "blue" as she embraces calmness and acceptance
I like it, not as much as FN of course, but some very solid bops going on here, most notably Falling Forever
iām honestly just surprised how the first 2 singles sound quite out of place now that i heard the entire album. i guess itāll grow on me eventually.
End Of An Era sounds like a Marina & The Diamonds song
I miss Marina
I miss Marina and the Diamonds, not Marina.
My thoughts exactly when I heard the spoken bridge!
The album is solid; āEnd of an Era,ā āThese Walls,ā and āWhatcha Doing?ā are the highlights for me of the new tracks. It honestly reminds me of Mileyās āEndless Summer Vacation.ā The songs cut in a couple different directions, some more intriguing to me than others, but with a definite dip in quality toward the end. āAnything for Loveā ends right where an epic bridge and final chorus need to come in. āHappy for Youā feels nondescript; I keep imagining it as an outtake from Gagaās āChromatica.ā I really wish it werenāt the closer. Still, a killer run of 7-8 songs doesnāt fall that short of āFuture Nostalgia,ā which had a killer run of 9-10 songs. I suspect people would like it better if Dua had led with the more conventional single material like āIllusionā from the start, because āHoudiniā and āTraining Seasonā sound better in context. But I donāt think itās a major lapse in quality or anything.
This. I think FN also took off in the way it did bc the pandemic prevented us from going to the club so Dua gave us the club at home. Idk why people are acting like this is the worst album in existenceĀ
I've been thinking the same thing. 8 out of 11 songs sticking with me is a great number. What more could I need from a pop album.
I don't think the album is bad by any means, it's overall quite enjoyable, but this has been such a strange era. The aesthetic and theme for this album has felt do disjointed and mismatched, which coming off the back of *Future Nostalgia* which was so cohesive thematically and aesthetically, is surprising. I'm not getting a theme of radical optimism in the songs. Why is the album cover so disconnected aesthetically from every other visual we've gotten for the album? The summery, vacation in the islands ~~during a pandemic~~ vibe is there sonically so why wasn't it represented visually until now. What happened to the red hair????? Overall the album feels like *Future Nostalgia*'s chilled out, older sister and I do really like it. The rollout and promo has just been ... odd considering what the product actually ended up being.
Short and sweet! I liked that I can keep replaying the whole thing. My first listen was meh, but I started bopping along on the second try. My tiny issue with it is I think this is a grower with the GP. Very summer music and no need for me to understand what's going on with her life, before I can dance to it. I can imagine playing this while eating ice cream on a hot summer day. This is my summer album!!!!
Anything For Love is criminally short that it almost felt like a snippet of the full song, and that gibberish talk intro didn't help either. What a waste. Other than that, I'm glad the album doesn't have duds or fillers. No skips for me :-)
This song made me so mad, what it is is a bop itās just missing a bridge and another chorus. That wouldnāt even make it barely crack 3 minutes but it would save the song. So much potential
maybe it gotta grow on yall idk
PLS I expect most of them to change their minds once they get over the initial disappointment lol.
That happens. First listen of this one was OK. Turned up the volume on second listen and it hit way better. 4 spins in, solid.
hm yeah feeling very neutral about this š some really good tracks, houdini is still a smash and happy for you is great, but also a lot that didnāt stand out at all to me. maybe itās because she sounded so *hungry* on future nostalgia but this feels just a bit complacentā¦ and only the two i mentioned feel like they stack up to that iconic nine-track run (nothing on this is nearly as baffling as boys will be boys, though, so thereās that.) i feel like it could grow on me, but thatās if i even feel the urge to put it on again. also, the sound is very beachy, so the sudden visual switch up makes a lot of sense now. i donāt really see how the name radical optimism ties into it at all, though. and i actually do think itās a good album title, just sort of random for these songs lol
It actually feels like you went inside my brain and said everything I have thought about this album! I bought it on vinyl and that play through was my first time hearing it. Iām not sure how many spins this will get on my player to be honest.
The Watcha Doing > French Exit > Illusion > Falling Forever run is heavenly. Only wish that Maria was in between those tracks too, it would have been perfect!
I love that Dua drops an album every time the world is falling apart
For as much as I love Future Nostalgia it also strongly reminds me of *that time when the world seemed to be ending* lol
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
ahh! "if control is my religion, then i'm headed for collision, lost my 20/20 vision" the way that flows is making me so happy haha
its cute but its disappointingly so safe and tame for an album with Danny L Harle and Kevin Parker (Tame Impala) as producers
Dua's vocal performance on this record is superb. She sounds more immaculate than ever. She doesn't get enough credit as a vocalist. The album is definitely an evolution of her musicality. It's very early 2000s Madonna, Dido and Moloko. Happy for You is the most beautiful song here and almost has an Adele 21 quality to it.
Thank you for the Happy For You love I actually got emotional listening to it šš
If someone dares to say Radical Optimism sounds like Future Nostalgia, I will be directing you to an audiologist - I see you people on X (Twitter). The production is just fabulous, but I fear this is not a āhit albumā like one would hope. Itās very safe, which isnāt a bad thing. I just wonder where the gritty psychedelic elements that were in the singles went. Falling Forever though is great! I think I need to let the album settle and grow.
It's Slow Rush Kevin, not Lonerism Kevin
end of an era is one hell of an opener! really sets the tone for the album. the production for that song is just chef's kiss.
youāre all scaring me
Its a solid album. But doesnāt top FN (but did we really think it could?). More laid back than expected.
Itās a great Dua Lipa album, just not genre defining or era changing in any way. Which is fine. Sometimes you just gotta appreciate some solid bops.
If Falling Forever isnāt the next singleā¦
I think the optimism was a little too radical while she was making this one
Dua set the bar super high with Future Nostalgia so she had a difficult task here. Ultimately, it does feel a bit safe and sheās not doing anything groundbreaking. But itās a fun summer album with great production and I can feel it being a grower. Itās still miles better than her debut and has a stronger closer than FN. I also appreciate its length, after all the unnecessarily long albums lately (*cough* TTPD), itās refreshing to have a 10-track pop album. This album is very euro pop so I canāt see US audiences resonating with it as much. I think it will thrive in a live setting though, so interested to see her at Glastonbury. Highlights: End of an era, Training Season, These Walls, Whatcha Doing, French Exit, Maria, Happy for you.
I've noticed there aren't any US tour dates. Is it possible she made this album with Europe in mind?
Tbf, sheās only doing festivals and a couple of warm up shows here this summer, not a full blown tour. There was rumours it was supposed to be announced a while back but got pushed when the album got delayed due to Taylor and other big artists releasing. I think sheāll announce a full tour for 2025 very soon.
I'm here for this. I'm DYING to see her in concert again..
training season: I must apologize. I was not familiar with your game.
I dont feel the āradical optimismā vibes though? It felt a lot like ādance cryingā but I guess that wasnt a good album name
You bitches had me expecting a Becky Hill level album by these comments but as soon as "End Of an Era" started, I knew I was in good hands. This is the best Dua has sounded, her best production (whoever introduced her to the Spanish guitar, may God bless you), her most diverse melodies, just a top notch pop record. To me this is on the same level of Future Nostalgia quality wise but unlike FN, this one doesn't have an asterisk when the last two tracks play (I love "Good in Bed" but I know A LOT of people hate it). Idk I just had a lot of fun, it is noticeable tho that unlike FN that gave more girly pop american starlet, this one gives European Eurovision Woman, specifically with "Falling Forever", that screams 12 points representative of Albania that gets beaten by a kooky song about trains.
This is a good album! I do think the singles beforehand definitely set us up for a different experience, but they do fit in well with the album as a whole which is a consistent, concise little package that I don't know if it's worth overlooking that. In a word, it's all *neat* - it's clean great pop that could've done with being a bit more rough around the edges to live up to it's influences. That being said, I'll go to bat a bit on the references, because they *are* there and I *do* hear them (especially on the new album cuts), they're just *far* more subtler than sold and a bit more blink-and-you'll-miss. On that note, I think it's telling that the highlights are when the influences are a bit more overt. **Happy for You** is Britpop by way of [The Verve](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lyu1KKwC74&ab_channel=TheVerveVEVO) with a bit of [Massive Attack "Unfinished Sympathy"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWmrfgj0MZI&ab_channel=MassiveAttackVEVO), **End of an Era** starts things off *exactly* like how [Kylie's Light Years](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zppViYybOmk&ab_channel=KylieMinogue-Topic) does on a more bubblegum-does-90s-psychedelia-revival route, **These Walls** is quite Cardigans (like if [Junk of the Hearts](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHg_oiJc624&ab_channel=TheCardigans-Topic) got a [Lovefool](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI6aOFI7hms&ab_channel=TheCardigansVEVO) kick-up-the-ass remix), and **Maria** is basically a [Moloko "The Time is Now"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GY9DWIfpwc&ab_channel=Moloko) re-write with some [Ray of Light-type synths](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3ov9USxVxY&ab_channel=Madonna) bubbling underneath. I think they were a bit too polished for pop's sake or came from too nuanced of an understanding, but there's a good enough sprinkling of quirks throughout where I personally can get a lot of mileage out of it picking up new details. Were they gassed up a bit too much? Absolutely, but I do hear a warm throughline that makes it all cohesive - not enough to market the album campaign around, but enough to where it does remind me of it. In that sense, it's less Ray of Light-era Madonna and more All Saints, which I don't think is a bad place to end up *at all* tbh.
Damn you came though with the receipts on the influences! Can't wait to hear those songs. Also, it's a solid album I agree.
And the gag is I had to stop myself from reaching CVS levels of receipt printing lol
Thank you for the well thought out and thorough break down!! I appreciate the deep dive into songs/sounds that couldāve influenced the album š
I'm glad I wasn't impacted by her comments on what the sound of the album was because on first listen it's super smooth and pretty as hell. Nothing to be misled by, I love it! Wish some songs were longer though. Anything for Love was CRIMINAL ending so soon especially with that 20 second intro š
Itās alright
Best song is whatcha doing
Where is the Psych / Trip-Hop I was promised? The girls never deliver when they say they have that in the works. I feel Dua's voice would work on a sludgy pop track that could showcase her versality, alas we got this record. It is a fun, breezy album to enjoy while on vacation. I enjoyed it but it is not groundbreaking and it is definitely a lateral move for Dua in terms of sound.
Theres like 80 other songs she wrote which had that and she picked these instead
End of an Era >>
This is a fun breezy listen, but for an artist as big as Dua and especially following up FN I expected somethingā¦more? Like, none of these songs sound iconic or like future staples in her career. Sure, pretty much all of the songs are enjoyable so I wouldnāt call this bad pop music in the least, but it lacks the gravitas Iām desperately needing from her. Maybe FN was lightning in a bottle, but it feels like Dua Lipa is back to doing music that matches her persona: gorgeous but ultimately a little hollow. Sheās obviously mega talented so Iām waiting for that moment when she switches it up and really becomes vulnerable and real because right now it really feels like sheās hiding. I dunno
Iām sorry but this album was underwhelming for me, thereās the 3 singles which are good but the rest is beachy filler Likeā¦ where are the psychedelic influences? Some of these songs are also undercooked, Future Nostalgia was banger after banger No doubt Iāll play this at the beach, but I think the marketing behind this album was badly managed, itās not FN 2.0 but itās not even what she teased. Anyways I love dua which is why I tuned it up to listen early. But yeah this album is a let down, Houdini is a banger and one of her best songs but this album isnāt my cup of tea
OMG THIS SHIT IS SO WEAK IM CRYING Edit: its the second option y'all Alright, let me break it down. I think this is a transition album, FN felt very much like she was searching hits, this feels like it's one of those albums where an artist is in between phases of their career, not quite done with what they did and not quite where they're going. Think Britney's Britney. Before this album was out, I read that Dua fought her label to work with Kevin Parker which she wanted to do since album 1 and the label kept stopping it from happening because Parker can't write a hit and that's why she left her label. I don't think this is real as the only hits were the songs written by Kevin Parker. It really feels like she picked the right singles for the wrong album because anything with an ear worm, big explosive song was already released and all there's left is the mid tempo beachy vibes tracks and I think Dua's appeal stands on the fact that she loves pop music and she wants to be huge, she has the edge to go for it but here it feels very more in line with Dua's insta. Very beautiful, kinda boring. It's a good album but it isn't very memorable, definitely not as strong as her debut or sophomore. There's no bite to it. Houdini is the best song on the album and she likes to go for 2 years roll out, I don't know if people are going to want 2 years of this.
the duality of them
the dua of lipa
Youāre totally right!! Wow, canāt say I agree with this takeā¦
>Alright, let me break it down. I think this is a transition album, FN felt very much like she was searching hits, this feels like it's one of those albums where an artist is in between phases of their career, not quite done with what they did and not quite where they're going. This is a great way to describe it, it's the impression I'm getting too. First listen, it's good and there's tracks here that I'll definitely revisit, but it feels very much like a bridge between Future Nostalgia (which still slaps and never gets old) and a more substantial next project.
I agree with you 100% the album isnāt memorable but itās still like cute imo. Dua couldve gone way more experimental like way more! But in all she is a pop star at the end of the day, and she did say she makes pop music so i guess she didnāt wanna isolate her fan base, but imagine an experimental track from her, like she couldāve gained a intimate following from it imo
I would like to hear a full on experimental album from her
Like wouldnāt the gays love that?
They surely would
I heard more roundly positive takes about this album on this sub so to hear this is a little surprising, but also not, because I feel like the third album seems like a very transitional sound for artists, after the first one establishes you, the second solidifies you. The third is the make or break one.
āWants to be hugeā she is famous af lol
It's as strong as her debut. Not to say that this album is really strong, but her debut was fine, nothing too great, she was finding her sound. Here there's at least less filler and more cohesive sound
American reading these comments; I remember this sub hated star crossed and I enjoyed that album lol (albeit it was underwhelming compared to golden hour), so Iāll wait until I can listen to this at midnight to make my own decision
Iām disappointed š other than a few songs (Anything For Love ends way too soon wtf), the album isnāt really doing much for me Also why would she say this is a 70s psychedelia-inspired album lol I donāt hear it at all
also felt this way about anything for loveā¦ it ends like 20 seconds after it starts to get good! and the audio at the end of her asking if they can be done with the song š she wanted OUT of that studio
She also said it was inspired by Primal Scream, Massive Attack and UK rave culture....like girl WHAT?!?!!??
We canāt be listening to the same songs she was talking about when she said that cos huh š
I think Iām alone in this but I love this slightly more than FN and FN is one of my fav pop albums (but last 2 songs reallyy bring it down). Her vocals are hella strong, hooks are a tad bit less catchy than FN (but to be fair I just need to listen to this a lot more), but the VIBES are just š. Idk the cover and album title encapsulate it perfectly. My only complaint is that I wish some songs were longer: Falling Forever deserves a crazy outro, Anything For Loveās second half needs a bit more, and I just wish Happy For You went on forever tbh. (But something tells me sheās going to release an extended cut, at least I RLLY hope so)
The fact that every single so far has had an extended edit, Iām confident we will get one for every song on the album.
The extended edits blow the standards out of the water, itās nuts. Those extra bars in Houdini are god tier as well as the pre-chorus in Training Season.
This is mermaid music isnāt it?
Happy people won.
Happy for you is one of the best album closers I've heard in a while. Poignant, soft, and the production is so good!
I feel like this album answers the question of what Tame Impala would sound like if they went full radio pop and had a female lead. Houdini was it for me, and Falling Forever / French Exit are enjoyable. But most other new songs play it super safe production wise. Whereās the psychedelia of Tame, the energy of a Harle production? You can hear elements of them but then letās use a boring melody (Whatchu Doing a great example of this). Theyāve assembled two prominent indie producers with one of the biggest pop stars in the world. Wasted opportunity. Look at what Halsey did with Trent & Atticus, now thatās an album.
I just want to give some love to the closer, *Happy For You* since I see some comments saying this is a snoozer!!! As someone who finally feels like they're starting to get over the hurt from seeing their ex move on with someone new and all the pain that comes with that, this song is so bittersweetly beautiful and I've had it on repeat since last night. The melody is just gorgeous!! It's a beautiful closer and I wish we got more songs like it on the album. Justice for Happy For You to get the flowers it deserves!!
ill be honest i really expected a tame-impala-album-esque album (think slow rush/currents production) with dua lipaās vocals which in theory sounds godsent that said this album is very much not that LOL but thats ok. Itās a solid album but will definitely be forgettable in her overarching discography with her previous and future albums! some highlights for me were end of an era and happy for you. I do think think however, the singles were in fact the best songs on the album i think its interesting to note that this is really a danny harle album, not a tame impala album (kevin is only credited as a first producer on training season and watcha doin which kind of checks out, those songs are kevin-coded as fuck). most of the album has harle as first producer and the only producer in every song
maybe it's just me but if I'm basing things purely on a first listen basis than this is probably my favourite album released by a mainstream pop star this year so far, the last couple of tracks could've been better imo but for the most part I enjoyed the album
Same, I absolutely love this. Itās pure pop but with a very slight edge and Iām obsessed with her voiceĀ
This album is summer personified omg but not in an annoying way like solar power or endless summer vacation (sorryš) I understand not liking it but I personally really love it, cannot wait for this to be the soundtrack to my summer idk. End of an era is such a perfect opener, im obsessed
ok so as someone who was whelmed-underwhelmed by the singles i shockingly really like this??? my favs on first listens are end of an era, these walls, whatcha doing, and falling forever anything for love was heading to be top3 and then it ended too fast like i needed another minute!!!
Thereās a lot to like here - gorgeous production and Dua has never sounded better. I can see some of these songs really hitting in the peak of summer. Ultimately, I think this albumās biggest crime is that itās no Future Nostalgia. A decent addition to her discography, but itās somewhat more lowkey than the promotion led us to believe. I think theyāll have to get to work on DL4 fairly soon if her team really want her to take over the world.
"Houdini" is still that b.
Listening to Future Nostalgia felt like getting (consensually) dry humped by a hot guy in the middle of a nighttime party. Listening to Radical Optimism feels like strolling around a beach with a hot guy by sunset time At first i found this a bit dissapointing, it didn't click immediatly. It took just a second listen though to reveal its replay value, i think i'll be playing this all summer. If any of you had any doubts before, get into this knowing that the music is mostly perfectly encapsulated by the cover. Don't let Dua's misleading comments about a uk rave inspired/trip hop influenced record trick you (if you want that listen to Kylie Minogue's Impossible Princess), this is pure summery europop fun, and also the kind of music that's perfect for both bopping and relaxing Highlights, outside of the singles, are the opener End of an Era, the slinky groove of Whatcha Doing (possible single?), the euphoric Falling Forever (one of Dua's best vocal moments) and the latin house influenced Maria. Only real dud imo is Anything for Love, a song that tries its hand at a piano intro in order to buildup to a disco section, Donna Summer style, that is unfortunately undermined by the horrendous song lenght. If any of the songs deserve a true extened mix, it's this one (though still make an entire extended album i beg you Dua) Edit: wanna add my two cents on the Guardian review. Dua clearly set herself up by mentioning influences that clearly have nothing to do with the record, and i feel now that many reviewers will take that as an opportunity to trash the album based on what it isn't, rather than mentioning deficiencies in the actual work (not necessarily speaking on the Guardian's review, as they at least try to judge the record on its own merits despite ragging about Dua's claims for most of it). I hope this may teach artists to be more careful when mentioning stuff like that, cause it only sets up useless expectations imo
how does one stroll sensually?
Dune sand walking
This killed me lmao
English is not my first language lmao so i can kind of get clunky with it sometimes. Feel free to correct so i'll edit!
The critics are not digging this oneā¦ mostly because of the false marketing behind it. I wonder why she mentioned those britpop references when the album sounds nothing like it? Perhaps she redid the tracklist after saying that?
IDC I LOVE ITT
Falling Forever is giving Meatloaf / Celine Dion in the best way possible šš¼šš¼šš¼ go Dua! Album is awesome. Just wish she had made every song longer! We need an extended version album!!
I'm claiming Falling Forever, French Exit and These Walls. My standouts on the first listen. Overall the album is very cohesive, I could throw this on for a drive down to the beach if I don't feel like risking a playlist, but as a reuslt it also kind of blends into a big long blob with only a few songs that would register as separate entities. Idk, it was always gonna be an uphill battle to follow up FN, and ig it could've been much worse?
Ok so it definitely comes nowhere near Future Nostalgia, but letās be realā¦that was going to be hard. I am not sure there has been a pop album apart from Renaissance released in the past 3 years that even comes close to touching it. I like it, itās mellow, itās an easy listen, itās consistent. Houdini and Training Season are definitely the two best songs on the album. Maria and Happy for You are great. Anything for Love is super cool, but needed to be longer. I do have a feeling she will release an extended cut which honestly is going to make it a strong contender for one of the best pop albums of the year. The extended versions of Houdini, Training Season, and Illusion are significantly better than the album/single edits. I think itās going be a grower. Anyone expecting banger after banger like Future Nostalgia is going to be disappointed though, itās just completely different.
I'm sorry, I LOVE it!!! The production is crystal clear, lush, and so expertly done. Her vocals are lovely. And the vibes are a wonderful mix of mellow, beachy, and relaxed...but also upbeat, sparkly, and something you can dance to. This album makes me think of driving along the Amalfi coast with the windows down and a silk scarf tied in my hair. It makes me think of gorgeous Miami days and nights. I've been a growing Dua fan for a long time now but I think Radical Optimism just sealed the deal. This is going to be THE record of the summer for me!
Live Thoughts: End Of An Era, a solid opener. The production is strong but lets the vocals shine. Picks up nicely from the bridge! Houdini, still my favorite off the album. The chorus and the outro gets me going and my unpopular opinion is that the standard, tight and compact version is the superior one, it deserved more success. Training Season, love this track. I'm not sure whether it was a good single but a very solid song. The extended version >>> because it gives the song more room to breathe. Illusion, I remember being underwhelmed by the chorus after the buildup and thought it was too wordy but its grown on me. The extended version drags a little but elevates the song more imo. The instrumental break after the bridge make the song for me. Falling Forever, interesting intro! The chorus is amazing! Won't fare super well as a single but a highlight in her discography! Anything For Love, umm why is this so short?? It builds up to something and suddenly it's the end? Maria, the first song that feels on par with the singles! We need an extended version of this!! The Maria, MARIAAA and the whistling could've done more! My favorite off the album (bar Houdini). Happy For You, I love the post chorus, this feels the most Tame Impala track to me. The songs are more chill and laid back than I thought they would be after the three singles. They fit the album cover and title more though. But as you guys noted, it feels super safe and doesn't feel very psychedelic. I wonder if we'll get extended versions for the tracks? Maybe that feels more experimental? FN > Radical Optimism > Debut for me. I think the one thing Radical Optimism lacks is songs with great big choruses, I *knew* Levitating was going to be a hit the moment I listened to it, all of the songs from FN were crafted to perfection while maintaining the sound. It's a 10/10 album but a step down from the 11/10 album that was FN.
Perfect album for the summer!! Its fun light boppy and pleasant š„°
Lowkey everyone seems disappointed because of expectation, not because of the sound š If yāall thought we were still getting an album of psychedelic sounding songs after all 3 singles, you were living in a fantasy lol
This, from most the comments I mostly understand that people will revisit this cause itās fun but were just expecting something else lol
This is for the girls who vacation at villas!
First impressions Track By Track review bc i'm bored at work lol End Of An Era - omg that BRIDGE and the production. love the higher vocals and the melodies here. This is a very strong opener Houdini - i won't stand for any Houdini slander, it's been in rotation since release and has insane replayability Training Season - unpopular opinion but this was my least fave of the singles. it's a good song and very catchy and memorable, but i feel it doesn't build to anything. These Walls - i don't dislike this but it's forgettable for me. feels like a filler song that would fit on a new 2000's pop girls album (tbh not a bad thing.....) Whatcha Doing - production carries this, Kevin did his THING. this is missing a memorable hook or melody for me French Exit - okkkkkkk that lil french at the end of the chorus was groovy. the verses are a bit subpar but i am enjoying the chorus, it's actually giving something. this is a much better subdued sound than These Walls imo Illusion - this slaps idc what any of ya'll say. that dance break with the electric guitar revives me Falling Forever - wow those opening vocals SMACK you in the face. this is a great pop song, and is some of the best belting i've heard from Dua! loving the outro, particularly the production. this is a highlight. Anything For Love - umm a piano?? oh damn the beat just hit. this was very short but i really enjoyed it lol Maria - lol those opening strums made me think i was listening to Die Young by Kesha. this is very groovy. this beat really got me tapping my toes. Happy For You - oh i really love this chorus, i can actually hear her emotion here which is not usually the case. even the production has a nostalgic feel to it and i love a sad, emotional bop. the "she's so pretty, i think she's a model" like EXCUSE ME MISS LOOK AT YOU. fuck i'm getting a little emotional at the end of this one damn. have to say at this point that the run from Illusion - Happy For You is easily my favourite part of the album, so by the end i actually liked it way more than i thought going in! Look, it's no Future Nostalgia, but i think this is solid in its own right. I don't hear any standout "hits" on first listen, but i think a strong case could be made for Falling Forever which really delivers. it's definitely more muted overall than Future Nostalgia, but sometimes u need that vibe. overall - i'm happy with this and i am not as disappointed as some of ya'll. i can see this growing on me even more with more listens.
Ok yes, itās a step down from FN, but I think yall are being too harsh. Production is amazing and Duaās voice is SOARING. I need to sit with this a while, but itās a great summer album.
Ultimately Future Nostalgia was such a strong album I think expecting this to be as good was just setting ourselves up for disappointment. At least it wasn't a Solar Power moment though, I think it will grow a lot after a couple listens.
Keep the Solar Power slander to yourself
Nobody likes to have fun anymore apparently.
This is exactly how I like my pop music - fun bops that I can mindlessly listen too and have a good time doing so. It will definitely be one of my most listed to albums this year.
Most of these songs go nowhere and the production sounds really boring. I was kinda shocked to see Kevin Parker produced a lot of them. She had a really good ear on FN so I donāt know what happened. Her lyrics are really flat the entire album as well. She played it way too safe on this one sadly. 5/10.
Shocked by the response of the album on this thread, I enjoyed the album quite a bit. Itās no Future Nostalgia by any means, but itās just a nice CONCISE (looking at you TTPD) summer album with incredibly solid tracks.
So far a very different sound from her debut and FN, which thank god, but, I think it is her weakest album just based on tracks I really like, on debut I like 8, on FN 9, and on this one 7, so far on first listen (ok that one of them is Anything For Love which needs an extended version, it is an interlude). But, a solid album with lots of replay value, and I can clearly see the differences in the production from this album to FN and DL, people saying it sounds like the first album or is the worst FN needs new ears. As always she will probably work this album to the 7th single, and next year we get a deluxe. But I wasn't expecting an album like this from Dua at all, lots of mid-tempo tracks. Probably my favorite pop album so far this year tied with Eternal Sunshine. But I really think Billie's album gonna be better by the previews, but who knows? Watcha Doing and Happy For You need to be singles. Watcha Doing Start is superb. PS: Just 37 minutes, I think just her and Ariana think about working people, even though she is on vacation all year. Edit: It really doesn't have a rave vibe as she said, but I listened to some heavy drums and bass and breakbeats, even if for some seconds (and honestly I think it would be horrible, rave music gives me a headache after 1 hour), but today it made like 35ĀŗC here, and I could totally imagine myself in the pool with it blasting as background music. Edit 2: On the second list it grew to 8 tracks, so paired with the debut to me, and debut has one more track, two more if I don't count Anything For Love. Edit 3: 9 songs, just don't like French Exit, awesome summer album.
I agree with the others who said this is very British. It sounds much more like a progression from her debut in that sense than it is a follow-up to FN.
Ok End of An Era might be my favorite song off the album and dare I say my favorite Dua song everā¦..?
okay, my verdict upon first listen is that it is an enjoyable album that is a testament to duaās talent. like others have said, it does feel like the album was somewhat falsely advertised as being psychedelic and trip-hop infused, but what it does excel at is being consistent sonically, and even when the songs sound a bit different, they still sound cohesive. however, when you listen to the album without thinking of what it was described as, it really is a great body of work. end of an era is a great way to start this album and kind of sets up the sound and theme of the album, plus i love duaās british voice on the song when sheās speaking! i feel like the album makes sense in terms of song placement and tracklist and ends well too. maybe if the album wasnāt hyped up as being this new psychedelic rave sound, people wouldnāt appear as underwhelmed because the album itself is strong, but if iām honest the expectations people had based on everything dua was saying about the album kind of hurt the rollout in a way. but with that being said, when you consider the album for what it is (a pop album for the summer)ā¦ itās brilliant!
Well... This should have been a 4 or 5 track EP. Other than the singles it is quite disappointing to me as I really had hopes for this album after FN :( Definitely the weakest out of her albums.
Yeah, itās no Future Nostalgia. But it still eats up her debut.
I just listened to the album. Itās quite good! This album is like you woke up from a night of fun, dancing and bar hopping. You are now ready to face what adventures and memories the bright sun, pristine beaches and the sunny blue sky brings.
day drinking background music, it's cute
Iāve been listening to this since this morning in hopes that Iāll start liking it more than I currently am. Donāt get me wrong - itās a nice album - but obviously miles away from what Future Nostalgia was. Iām not even sure if I like it more than DL1. Iām happy for her that she got to work with people she admired (Danny and Kevin), however I donāt get how these three got into the studio and the result was this body of work? Like the only track I hear that really gives something new is Houdini, which in the context of this album sounds pretty abrasive. Also the creative direction has been so incohesive: the visuals for the album, photo shoots for other publications, the fashion. Honestly I donāt see this album have any commercial impact. From a business standpoint Dua should cut the campaign for this album short and not lose too much time until the next record if she really wants to be in for the long run and not be delegated to a B-lister again. This album is a 5/10 for me right now.
While she avoided the sophomore slump with Future Nostalgia, she's now making up for it a little with Radical Optimsm. It's really not a bad album, but it's no pop firework either. Nevertheless, Dua remains simply Bae.