True Romance

by Charli XCX

Overview

In the couple of years leading up to her debut album, True Romance, Charli XCX issued a slew of singles, EPs, and mixtapes that mixed moody synth pop with rap and R&B into a sound billed as "neon goth." Despite that somewhat awkward description of her style, Charli does have a flair for chiaroscuro, switching easily from brooding ("Set Me Free") to sparkly ("Take My Hand"), sometimes within the course of one song ("You're the One," one of five previously released tracks here). In some ways, she's the opposite of Grimes, who sprinkles just enough sugar over her quirky musical ideas to make them accessible. Instead, Charli XCX's songs are pop with a capital P -- she's unabashed in her love for Britney and Mariah -- but just odd enough to be unique. Like Quentin Tarantino, to whom True Romance's title pays homage, she has a flair for combining a wide array of pop culture sources into something fresh and familiar, as well as a fondness for strong female characters. These songs are filled with tough girls in varying stages of love, most strikingly on the equally vindictive and catchy "You (Ha Ha Ha)," which punctuates its heartbreak with bitter laughter. While Charli's rapping won't threaten many MCs, her laid-back delivery is reminiscent of Uffie as well as late-'80s and early-'90s pop, particularly the charmingly awkward "flow" of the Spice Girls, whom she counts as a major influence. Elsewhere, she smooths some of the edges of her previous work -- not that True Romance's pop isn't engagingly strange, and strangely engaging. Inventive productions are as vital to her music as her bold persona; she's worked with Lindstrom, Balam Acab, Jezus Million, and other innovative producers, and tracks like the dreamy, R&B-tinged "So Far Away" help her blur her influences into something she can call her own. Her songs could easily be all surface and attitude, but there's also a genuine emotional pull to them: the excellent ode to romantic familiarity "What I Like" is peppered with enough details to sound as cozy as a boyfriend's sweater feels. Previously released songs like "Nuclear Seasons" and "Stay Away" remain highlights, but new songs like "Black Roses" -- one of the best blends of really-real feelings and unashamedly artificial sounds here -- show that Charli didn't give away all of her tricks and treats on her EPs. Since quite a few of these songs were already road-tested, it's not surprising that this is a strong debut, but just how consistently catchy and personal True Romance is might raise a few eyebrows. ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date:	05/26/2023
Label:	Atlantic / East West
UPC:	0190296358463

Tracks

1. Nuclear Seasons
2. You (Ha Ha Ha)
3. Take My Hand
4. Stay Away
5. Set Me Free (Feel My Pain)
6. Grins
7. So Far Away
8. Cloud Aura
9. What I Like
10. Black Roses
11. You're the One
12. How Can I
13. Lock You Up

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Charli XCX   Primary Artist,Vocals
Miriam Stockley   Vocals (Background)
Richard Adlam   Keyboards
Louise Burns   Vocals
Hal Ritson   Keyboards
Mike G   Featured Artist
Brooke Candy   Featured Artist

Technical Credits

Jocko   Producer
Dimitri Tikovoi   Composer,Producer,Programming
Mark "Spike" Stent   Mixing,Vocal Producer
Richard Adlam   Programming
Neil Comber   Mixing
Dave Bascombe   Mixing
Ariel Rechtshaid   Composer,Producer,Additional Production
Rich Costey   Mixing
David Emery   Assistant,Mixing Engineer
Todd Rundgren   Composer
Matty Green   Assistant,Mixing Engineer
Chris Kasych   Pro-Tools,Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant
Patrik Berger   Composer,Producer
Dan Aslet   Mixing,Producer,Vocal Producer
Stuart Hawkes   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Andy Hayes   Design
Jeremy Cooper   Editing,Editing
Justin Raisen   Composer
Paul White   Producer,Producer
Blood Diamonds   Producer
Gold Panda   Composer
Tom Boddy   Remixing,Programming,Remix Engineer
David Bianchi   Management
Patrick Berger   Producer
Andrew Wilkinson   Programming
Dan Curwin   Photography
St. Lucia   Remix Engineer
Loadstar   Remix Engineer
Hal Ritson   Programming
Marty Diamond   Booking
Ben Hackman   Remix Engineer
Ed Howard   A&R
Jocko Apa   Producer
Jocke Ahlund   Composer,Producer
Balam Acab   Remix Engineer
Blood Orange   Remix Engineer
Charli XCX   Composer
MS MR   Remix Engineer
James Whitting   Booking
T. Williams   Remix Engineer
Charlotte Aitchison   Composer
Brooke Candy   Composer
Jesse Saint John   Composer
Jezus Million   Mixing,Composer,Producer
Joseph Zucco   Composer
Paul William White   Composer
Blood Diamond   Producer
Tesfa Williams   Remix Engineer
Goldroom   Remix Engineer
Ariel Rechsthaid   Composer
Paul Wiiliam White   Composer,Producer
Michael Tucker   Composer,Producer