With nude photos, arrests for drug possession and reports of inconsistent live performances, indie pop sensation Sky Ferreira has built quite a name for herself in 2013. Now a near-perfect pop album can be added to the list of things worth talking about concerning Ferreira. Night Time, My Time does the rare job of living up to its hype.
Ferreira has been making music since she was 15. She signed to a major label at a young age and spent years dealing with producers who dismissed her input and attempted to exploit her professionally and sexually. She did not make a mark until last year with “Everything Is Embarrassing,” a melancholy and catchy single co-written with Dev Hynes of Blood Orange that exposed her to the indie community. She followed it up with an unfocused EP. Now she has teamed up with Ariel Rechtshaid, the producer who worked with HAIM and Vampire Weekend on their newest albums. Together, they made an album that could possibly make Ferreira a bona fide pop star.
Throughout Night Time, My Time, Ferreira delivers with moody and introspective synth-heavy pop songs that display her personality. Rather than falling into the trap of writing the same song over and over as her contemporaries in Icona Pop do, Ferreira expresses varied emotions and experiences throughout. There is a lot of anger, whether it is directed toward the rest of the world in the super catchy anthem “Nobody Asked Me (If I Was Okay)” or inward with reflective tracks such as “I Blame Myself,” where Ferreira takes full responsibility for her damaged reputation. There are euphoric tracks like “24 Hours,” and rebellious girl-power anthems like “Boys” and “Ain’t Your Right.”
The only time she falters is when she tries too hard to sound like someone else, such as on the heavily Cat Power-influenced title track. Besides that, Night Time, My Time is a confident and diverse debut. Ferreira is poised to be a true crossover between the pop and indie scenes, most evident by the fact that she is touring with Miley Cyrus early next year. While she may not be making the headlines that Cyrus is, Ferreira is making better music.
