Ever since I first heard Dua Lipa’s hit single “New Rules,” I’ve been obsessed with the singer’s music, along with her style of course. Her first album had some of the best sing-alongs, like “IDGAF” and “Be the One,” and they instantly shot her onto the pop music scene. While her first album’s music made its way into all our playlists at some point, it never seemed to match her distinct style and persona to me. It wasn’t until the Grammy-winning collaboration with Diplo and Mark Ronson, “Electricity,” that we started to see the music match the style of the artist. Once I heard the first single, “Don’t Start Now,” from her sophomore album, I knew she was going to deliver something new for her fans. In the coming months since “Don’t Start Now,” Dua Lipa has released a few more equally fun singles from the album, as well as the album cover and title. The project would be called Future Nostalgia, and the cover would give us a peek into the singer’s ultimate vision. From the title and cover, we know we’re in for a treat with some retro-type influence. The album was released on Mar. 28, and it’s been on repeat for me.
Upon listening to the album, you can hear the 70s disco and funk influences in the tracks, but also the futuristic sounds and dance beats of the 80s. Dua Lipa managed to perfectly capture her title by bringing us modern, futuristic beats and electronics to a retro-styled influence. The songs manage to bring the listener back to the past, but also to the future. The singer wanted to bring her audience an album that is continuously playing tracks that want to get you moving. She not only accomplished her goal, but her song “Don’t Start Now” inspired a string of Tik Tok dances before the album was even fully released. The need to dance was only just getting started with the song, as we are also presented with songs such as “Physical” that transfers the listeners’ mind to an 80s-workout class. The album as a whole is very cohesive, as there are no songs that feel like they don’t belong. When listening to the album for the first time, I suggest listening in order. The tracks’ order was cleverly placed as we the listeners aren’t given a moment to breathe after “Physical,” and were presented with a three-song moment with the exciting track “Hallucinate” and then brings down the tempo a bit with the cheeky track, “Pretty Please.” The three-track moment then takes a turn to the easy-going track that is “Levitate.” Upon first listening to this trio, I remember thinking, what just happened? Then I decided to turn back the moment and play all three in order again. Who knew upon turning it back I was stopping myself from the clear standout moment of the album that is “Love Again.” This is the closest any song on the album comes to a ballad about love. In the song, Lipa manages to give the listener a story of falling out of love and being put into a dark place, and then stumbling upon an intense relationship again, one that trumps all others before it. It is perhaps the track with the most narrative and clear story to it, which is what makes it so special.
Overall, Dua Lipa manages to turn back the clock, while staying true to her pop roots. It’s Dua’s party and she’s bringing us along for the ride through the 70s and 80s. Every song you turn to in the album brings its own form of excitement and special moment that makes it stand out from the rest. The artist is calling for a party and life moments you’ll remember. Considering the state of the world right now, and most places having a cap on gathering at 10 people, Dua Lipa reminds us of the times we could just go out and dance the night away. I know I will be listening to this album for the rest of my social distancing time, longing for a night out with my best girlfriends. Although her first album was great, Future Nostalgia is nothing short of a perfect collection of songs that will shoot Dua Lipa to pop superstardom. The artist has mastered her craft and there’s no telling where she will go after this.
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