By Andrew Hutchinson · Staff Writer
After a three-year break, former One Direction band member Harry Styles has released new music, and while the sound is unmistakably Styles, this album will certainly be an even further departure from current pop sounds than his albums of the past.
The lead single, “Aperture,” will be on the album “Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally,” which Harry has confirmed will have an emphasis on techno-focused, disco sounds. If “Aperture” is an accurate sample of the new sound, listeners will be pleasantly surprised. It is unlikely the entire album will be energetic, and Harry certainly has no issue blending vastly diverse sounds and genres in the same album (think “Sign of the Times” vs. “Kiwi” from his debut album “Harry Styles”). However, the progression to retro-inspired music seems like a missed clue from the 2022 release of “Harry’s House,” which featured tracks like “Late Night Talking” and “Daydreaming.” Both tracks, when listened to in conjunction with “Aperture,” create a world of vintage sounds and instrumentation that is very refreshing.
The song itself is a bit of an enigma, but it is a clear sign that Harry is confident in his music. In a world of soundbite-y, repetitive tracks with run times that clearly follow the death of the modern attention span, Harry almost audaciously drops a 5:11 long single in which the vocals take nearly as long to begin as some entire songs on the charts. The production quality continues to impress, showing Harry isn’t compromising on sound, and the mixing boosts the already high standard that has existed since he started as a solo artist in 2017.
Sadly, Harry’s wonderful vocals and range aren’t used to their full potential in this single, and while the slightly distorted effect added to his voice works without issue in the final mix, the lyrics aren’t as catchy as previous songs. It would appear the “Taylor Swift effect,” a songwriting style in which lyrical density overshadows memorability, has taken place. However, Harry’s lyrics seem to lack the near-poetic elements Swift has shown in “Folklore” or “The Tortured Poets Department.”
The pre-chorus and chorus are perfectly on point for the direction of the album, however, and despite some harmonic confusion in the melody, the disco vibes are immaculate. Another way the single is commendably consistent is in its complete lack of profanity. Harry is arguably the only modern artist of similar success to never include profanity in any of his lyrics, unlike other artists like Taylor Swift or Billie Eilish. Even though Harry understands that his fans would likely not be shocked by any amount of profanity, he has consistently written popular and original songs without coarse language. Such moves ought to be encouraged in a genre that no longer seems to care about younger listeners.
While Harry will remain a complex and unpredictable character in the world of pop singers, if “Aperture” is any sign of what is coming in March, huge success and Grammy nominations are on their way. A clean, unique album with a cohesive theme and sound is desperately needed, although Harry will not be alone: music from all other remaining One Direction members will be releasing around the same time, as well as new albums from Bruno Mars and Raye within the span of a few weeks. Nevertheless, “Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally” is poised to carve out a place in pop history.
