Micah Sorae
From watching the new pope being announced at St Paul’s Basilica to clubbing all over Berlin, Harry Styles definitely took his break from music seriously. However, it is safe to say his global adventures are over, and the Grammy award-winning artist is back with his fourth studio album, ‘Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally’.
Harry Styles’ last album, ‘Harry’s House,’ cemented his place at the top of global pop. He won Album of the Year, headlined a global stadium tour, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. However, instead of rushing to follow up on that success, the British singer-songwriter’s commitment to artistry meant he was not interested in releasing music without a purpose. Speaking to Capital FM, he said he needed “a really need a strong why” for making another album, rather than simply following up a successful era or tour.
In trying to find that reason, Styles immersed himself in new experiences. This meant seeing Radiohead in Berlin or heading to festivals like Kolorama in Madrid. In interviews, he has spoken about how these moments reminded him of why he fell in love with music in the first place. In his interview with Zane Lowe, he reflects on how touring and performing had started to feel like passively delivering a sermon rather than something he genuinely enjoyed. This shift is exactly what defines this album.
With global fame comes a loss of normality. Festivals, clubs, and even simple moments of anonymity begin to feel out of reach. Styles acknowledges this, noting that in protecting yourself from negativity, you can also shut yourself off from the very experiences that make life meaningful.
One of these moments inspired Carla’s Song, where Styles introduces a friend to Paul Simon’s Kathy’s Song and watches her fall in love with it. It captures the simple but powerful idea that a song can suddenly become part of your life and turn it into something personal and lasting. It is moments like these that make the album feel less like a statement and more like a collection of lived experiences.
However, that focus on lived experience has divided critics. While reception has generally been positive, with many praising Styles’ curiosity and willingness to explore music on his own terms, others argue the album lacks the fun, energetic hits that once defined him, such as Watermelon Sugar or As It Was. Pitchfork’s Shaad D’Souza, for example, described the album as “unremarkable”.
Personally, though, ‘Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally’ feels like Harry Styles at his peak. He is no longer chasing records, but making music on his own terms. Taste is subjective, but if music is about exploring experience and emotion, then this album succeeds exactly where it intends to.
Micah Sorae
Featured image courtesy of amadeusrecord via Flickr. Image use license found here. No changes were made to this image.
In-article photos courtesy of @harrystyles via Instagram. No changes were made to these photos.
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