On Nov 13, Charli xcx unveiled “Chains of Love” as the second single off her upcoming album for Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights film. The track leans into an experimental and ambient vibe that is reminiscent of Charli’s 2013 sound.
The official teaser for the film was released two months ago and featured a remixed version of a song off Charli’s Grammy-winning 2024 album, BRAT, “Everything is romantic.” In the teaser, it was also noted that Fennell’s adaptation of the English classic Wuthering Heights would feature new original music from Charli. Three days before the release of “Chains of Love,” Charli released “House featuring John Cale,” an intense and ominous track that is mostly comprised of an “elegant and brutal” monologue by the founding the Velvet Underground, John Cale.
“Chains of Love” as a single is avant-garde and gothic, which pairs with the genre of the source material. The vocals are distorted, and the backing track is loud and abrasive, which all come together to translate the elements of the destructive and intense love of Wuthering Heights characters, Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, into an audio experience.
In a Substack post, Charli explained that Fennell reached out to her in December of 2024, following the major success of “brat summer.” Fennell sent her the script, which allowed Charli to fully immerse herself in the new adapted world of Wuthering Heights. In the post, Charli implies that the ‘Wuthering Heights’ album is the antithesis of ‘brat.’ She says, “I wanted to dive into persona, into a world that felt undeniably raw, wild, sexual, gothic, British, tortured and full of actual real sentences, punctuation and grammar. Without a cigarette or a pair of sunglasses in sight, it was all totally other from the life I was currently living.”
It is stated by Charli in a Substack post that she feels more inspired by film than music, and this stroke of inspiration does not come as a shocker since, for the past few months, Charli has made her passion for film and TV known. With her cameo in the Amazon Prime show, ‘Overcompensating’, earlier this year, and upcoming involvement in A24’s ‘The Moment,’ Charli can translate her musical prowess and expertise into visual media as well.
Based on the two singles from the upcoming album, it is apparent that the sound of the Wuthering Heights album is not sonically reminiscent of Charli’s ever-iconic BRAT. However, fans in comments have noted that the new singles bear resemblance to Charli’s debut album, True Romance. With a dark, esoteric, and experimental sound that is also seen on the Wuthering Heights singles, a re-listen to True Romance would undoubtedly make you draw a connection to Charli’s upcoming work.
FInal Thoughts
We are still months away from the Valentine’s Day release of Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights, but hearing pieces of the soundtrack and Charli’s interpretation of the film assures viewers that this is Wuthering Heights in a way it has never been seen before.