Harry Styles new album, “Kiss All the Time Disco Occasionally,” was released this month, and here’s my first impression.
This album definitely lives up to its name, creating a beautiful mix of pumped-up disco-style beats and deep romantic lyrics. Throughout the entire album, the drums and rhythm are amazing, making it feel very cohesive and unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. After a few listens, I have found the songs on this album to feel very novel and original, yet it has not swayed from the fantastic Harry Styles that I love.
Song 1: “Aperture”
If you haven’t had the time to listen to “Aperture,” then you definitely have some catching up to do, as this is a single that was released over a month ago. The song begins with this powerful yet mellow beat and as the song continues, the lyrics and rhythm continue to intensify, changing the song from a calm beginning to a pumped-up chorus. This single did an amazing job starting things off and immediately encompassed the entirety of this album.
Song 2: “American Girls”
The second song on the album is “American Girls,” and though it was not a single like “Aperture,” it does have a music video too. And let me just start by saying that his voice sounds fantastic in this song! I think the placement of this song near the start is perfect because it is very peppy and catchy, easing you into what’s to come. I love the melody, and I cannot wait to listen to this song on repeat, yet my favorite part has to be the bridge instrumental section. The bridge really just takes the ending of the song and elevates it to a whole different level.
Song 3: “Ready, Steady, Go!”
“Ready, Steady, Go!” like many of the songs on this album, begins with a lone mellow beat and grows into a very hype and holistic piece. I particularly enjoyed Styles’ harmonies in this song, giving a fuller feeling to his voice. I also really liked the funky instrumentals of this song, yet at times I did think that they were possibly a little overpowering. Overall, the funky instrumentals in this song make it more of a jam style, but it really adds to the disco vibe of the album and reminds me of what separates Styles from other musicians of this time.
Song 4: “Are You Listening Yet?”
I believe this song may be my favorite of the more energetic songs! It begins with an emphasis on these fast-paced lyrics that are just incredible. From him singing, “God knows your life is on the brink and your therapist’s well-fed” to “Ignoring all of your friends at the end of their rope,” he is just spewing lyrical genius. Then I get to the chorus of the song, and I think I’m in love! I just can’t help but shake my shoulders during the chorus and be in awe at the lyrics in between. And don’t even get me started about the guitar and drum solo moments! Overall, I love it.
Song 5: “Taste Back”
“Taste Back” definitely feels like more of a calm, “filler” song in the album, yet that doesn’t mean that it can’t be great on its own as well. I really enjoyed the rhythm of this song with its powerful bass and lyrics that I interpreted as some sort of rekindling of a relationship and navigating comfort with the past.
Song 6: “The Waiting Game”
Alright, so I know I said “Are You Listening Yet?” was my favorite, but “The Waiting Game” definitely brings some competition. I really love how the song begins with this acoustic guitar, but immediately transforms into the more techno beat that we’ve seen over and over in this album. And well honestly, I think the main reason I like this song is that I just really resonate with it. “You try, and you always justify/Playing the waiting game/When it all adds up to nothing.” From my interpretation, this song really just captures yearning while also encompassing avoiding deep relationships out of fear. Overall, I really like this song and can’t wait for my interpretation to evolve as I listen to it multiple times.
Song 7: “Season 2 Weight Loss”
This might be shocking… but this song also begins with a fun and unique techno-type intro. I think this is a great one to follow in “The Waiting Game” because it continues and intensifies the yearning vibes Harry Styles brings to this album. This song almost feels like a transitional moment in the album as it switches from showing love and passion to questioning love and growing insecurity.
Song 8: “Coming Up Roses”
We have finally made it to my actual favorite song on the album! As a lover of slow songs, “Coming Up Roses” has to hold a special place in my heart. I mean, just the way he says “roses” is life-altering! But the best aspect of the song, hands down, has to be the lyrics. I feel like I’m transported into this complex relationship of love and confusion. And then the instrumental solo… It really just transports you into a romance movie playing out. Holistically, I feel like this song really helps define that feeling of transition in the album as insecurity creeps in.
Song 9: “Pop”
Just as this album takes you into this really slow and deep part of the album, it snaps you out of the trance and pulls you into arguably the most hype song on the album. Right after hearing the most romantic song you will ever hear, you are brought right back to the disco. But even with this euphoric disco beat, the lyrics still encompass the complexities of love and uncertainty. The way he mixes these feelings of euphoria and insecurity is true art and I’m so here for it!
Song 10: “Dance No More”
My honest first impression of this song is that the bass and overall beginning of this song really remind me of Michel Jackson. And I think that just goes to show the true danceability of the song, even if it is entitled “Dance No More.” I really enjoy the chorus’s echoey repetition of the melody because it definitely makes it a song to get stuck in your head.
Song 11: “Paint By Numbers”
“Paint By Numbers” is a great symbolic song, as I interpreted it as a metaphor of the pressures of being forced to stay in the lines and still making mistakes. I really took this song to encompass the stress of fame and also the concern of relationships and figuring out whether love is sometimes wrong. Honestly, I could be totally misinterpreting this song, but that is my first impression, and, overall, I do really like the somewhat sad, down-to-earth feel it brings.
Song 12: “Carla’s Song”
The end of this album really has a Goldilocks moment as “Dance No More” brings you on your feet, “Paint By Numbers” brings you back down and finally “Carla’s Song” lets you reach that equilibrium as the album wraps up. This song really has a wholesome feeling to it, as the perspective seems to switch from insecurity to confidence. It feels as though this whole album, Styles has been questioning how well he knows love, and now he is confidently stating that he “know[s] what you like” and that he doesn’t “have to read your mind.” I honestly love this perspective switch because I interpret love as being more powerful than insecurity, but maybe this song has nothing to do with the others. Either way, I believe it’s an amazing song to end this album, because for some reason it just makes me really happy.
With this album, I am very impressed to say the least, and cannot wait to listen to it over and over and see how my impression evolves. I think Styles did a great job making this album cohesive and really feel like a complete work. My first impression is that it is really, really good!