Charli XCX’s new album ‘Brat’ earns critical acclaim

Brat is a bold and defiant project that has garnered positive responses from various prestigious publications.

• Mohnish Singh
• 07 June, 2024

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By: Mohnish Singh

Charli XCX has once again taken the music world by storm with her latest studio album, Brat, a bold and defiant project that has garnered positive responses from various prestigious publications. The album showcases Charli’s evolution as an artist, blending elements of her past work with new and daring sounds that push the boundaries of pop and dance music.

The Guardian praises Brat for its gritty and underground textures, contrasting it with her previous, more mainstream album Crash. The review highlights the album’s collaboration with notable producers like Daniel, AG Cook, Easyfun, Hudson Mohawke, and Gesaffelstein, emphasizing how these partnerships help plot Charli’s history with dance music. Describing the lead single “Von Dutch,” The Guardian notes its addictive nature and echoes of the 2006 Bodyrox hit “Yeah Yeah.” Tracks like “360” and “B2B” are noted for their bold and insatiable nature, with “Club Classics” capturing the essence of Charli and her friends creating music that resonates with millions.

Variety lauds Brat for launching a bold new chapter in Charli XCX’s career, combining familiar elements of her past work with fresh, innovative sounds. The album is praised for its effervescent hooks and the shimmer of hyperpop, suggesting a successful fusion of the old and new that maintains the essence of Charli’s musical identity.

ABC News highlights the album’s return to Charli’s U.K. roots while building on the foundation of her previous work. The review specifically mentions the single “360” as an intersection of Charli’s brash synth-pop and rave influences. The tracks “Von Dutch” and “Club Classics” are celebrated for their Y2K bravado and hyper-referentiality, with name drops of iconic musicians like Sophie, Cook, and Hudson Mohawke, reflecting Charli’s admiration and connection to the cool-girl canon of music.

The Washington Post commends the cohesive sound of Brat, noting how Charli and her producers keep the album focused on dancefloor nostalgia while incorporating mutating synths, wobbly basslines, and relentless percussion. The publication appreciates the album’s nod to the British club scenes that influenced Charli, particularly in tracks like “Club Classics,” where she celebrates the music of scene-leaders such as A. G. Cook and Sophie.