Safe-Pop All The Time, Disco…Occasionally?, by Jocelyn Gale

Harry Styles has officially made his return to the limelight with his fourth studio album, Kiss All the Time. Disco Occasionally — and as someone with a framed Pilgrim Harry poster on my bedroom wall, I was looking forward to this album! While I have recognized that over the years Styles has leaned heavily into safe-pop, with the occasional hints of disco groove and dance-worthy beats — I had hope for this upcoming release. There’s no better time to drop an album promising dance and disco than in the onset of spring. But unfortunately, it seems another safe-pop record is afoot. 

With the release of “Aperture”, I was immediately skeptical of the disco-y nature of this album…as there was no disco in sight. I wanted so badly to fall into spring with a new, funky sound from a nostalgic artist…but I was met with a watered down version of house music. Now, it might sound immediately like I am saying this is a bad song, but it’s not bad. It’s a good song, a fine song…to put on in the background. But it’s just that, good background noise. It isn’t doing things to experiment sonically, nor does it create a beat that is irresistibly rhythmic — which can be done so well with house music instrumentals. It’s just safe. 

As the album progresses from that opening track, it remains in line with the lack of disco and mere head tilt toward house music. Styles has expressed that after being on tour for almost two years, he was ready to be an audience for music again — to take in the art around him. In an interview with Zane Lowe, he references inspiration from artists such as Simon and Garfunkel and Four Tet. This isn’t a call for Harry Styles to copy and paste those artists — but it is a question of why his music seems to lack the same dramatic swells of Simon and Garfunkel and the bizarro boldness of Four Tet. Harry Styles is playing it safe. There is a lack of trust in the audience and listeners to appreciate something that might actually push the boundaries of pop. Perhaps that’s just not Mr. Styles’ jam — who’s to say? But there is no denying that this album is a diluted version of its jumping points. 

While the album is not necessarily something to call home about, I’d be remiss to skip over some of its highlights. The second track, “American Girls” is at its best, warm and casual. It feels like the perfect song to have on near the setting sun with a warm breeze and sand in your shoes. Its ambient sound and steady, catchy chorus is easy to enjoy. The fourth track “Are You Listening Yet” feels like the most danceable of the bunch with its quick progression and jumpy beats. Styles' vocals blend with the instrumentals creating a melded, steady, tune fit for twisting feet and dancing with friends. “Season 2 Weight Loss” is another track that, particularly in its chorus, feels fit for a drive home and windows down in a satisfied exhale after a long day. 

But despite the positive features of the album, its many pitfalls have left Styles’ audience with a hollowed, dull, saddeningly un-groove-able album. While disco is associated with electronic sounds and techno beats, it’s also known for its hypnotic nature and irresistible danceability — the latter two characteristics are precisely where this album falls flat. I suppose its title implies only the occasional disco, but I am struggling to find any disco at all. Generally, the tracks are mild and unexciting — hardly warranting a head bop…and far from any jives or shimmies. Track three, “Ready, Steady, Go!” is the most warranted offender of these claims. With its quite resistable beat, backing instrumentals reminiscent of an H&M fitting room, and use of its final minute and a half repeating the lines “Ready, steady, Go!” twenty-two times…it simply lacks any remarkable flare. Track five, “Taste Back” is forgettable, much like track eight, “Coming Up Roses” which suffers the same fate. The lyrics are uninspired and lack any divisive or strong poetic narrative and the electronic beats are subtle enough to fade into the background — creating tracks that are best referred to as “safe-pop.” 

Many pop music tracks don’t make the effort to create a sound that is new or interesting, opting instead for a classic sound that is generally unoffensive, enjoyable, and hard to have any gripes with. Songs that are meant to be stuck in your head a few times before being replaced by the next safe-pop album. It’s safe, it’s meant to be popular. It was my hope that as Styles moved forward in his career, he would stray from the safe-pop music scene, and find his footing in experimenting with new sound. That he might create a pop avenue that fits his electric stage presence and killer vocal range. But it seems that he’s fallen into the routine of background noise pop that is easy to throw on and even easier to forget. 

Regardless of  my digs at this album — it’s important to reiterate that there’s nothing wrong with a standard pop album like this one. But this hill I am choosing to die on is inspired mostly by the intense wave of nostalgia that the name Harry Styles brings up. I wanted so badly for this album to be a danceable, grooveable, pop-funk record that felt like an artist really exploring their medium…and maybe I put too much on its shoulders. But maybe “disco” just isn’t a word that should be thrown around so lightly!