Future Nostalgia
Dua Lipa announces to the world that it’s her turn to establish who she is in the industry as she sings, “I know you’re trying to figure me out” in her new album’s Future Nostalgia’s title track. And, it’s absolutely perfect. While her 2017 debut established her as an amazing artist that can easily produce Top 40 hits, it lacked a sense of who she really was, especially around other bigger personalities. The versatility she showed outshone all the bits and pieces that could have set her apart.
Now, three years later, the self-titled “female alpha” is living up to her name. Her Future Nostalgia album is a breathtakingly energetic, cohesive, and promising attempt at finally bringing disco back. And, despite the current circumstances where disco doesn’t seem to have a place to shine in, Dua Lipa succeeded.
The sons are anchored in an elevating baseline as she sings about the transformative nature of romance. “Future Nostalgia” is a weirdly welcoming signboard that leads you to a whole new dimension of fun. It’s campy and filled with witty one-liners surrounded by a daft punk-ish feel-good vibe that screams dance. “Levitating” gives the feeling of blooming flowers, while “Hallucinate” ushers you to a euphoric dimension. “Physical” screams eighties with its high-octane synth-noir, a perfect nod to Olivia Newton-John.
Arguably, the only weak songs are “Cool” and “Boys Will Be Boys,” which lack the album’s spirit. This is especially noticeable with “Cool” as it has the misfortune of being sandwiched between two of the best songs in the album, “Don’t Start Now” and “Physical.”
Future Nostalgia has such amazing songs, and each could stand by themselves. Sadly, when together, the weaker songs stand out like a sore thumb. Regardless, the overall vibe it gives is perfect. It is the perfect album at such an imperfect time. Now, stream the album and dance your pants off as you self-isolate in these times.
