Two years and eight months after “Love on Tour,” Harry Styles returned with his fourth solo album on March 6, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. With a 42-minute run time and 12 tracks, Styles attempted to combine two flavors, pop and funk. However, in the process of merging the two together, he fails to master either.
Opening the album, “Aperture” holds a 45-second intro presenting an electric, disco-adjacent beat consistent throughout most tracks. With a constant mention of “it,” listeners are left confused as to what Styles is referring to. However, if his audience were to ignore the lyrics, they would be left with a danceable beat, strong base and a very long, repetitive outro.
Following the opener, both “American Girls” and “Ready, Steady, Go!” would have made for a better first track. More traditionally in the 32-year-old singer’s style, “American Girls” tells the story of friends in love, while making listeners want to white girl dance. “Ready, Steady, Go!” transitions from friends in love to himself and an intense situationship prominent throughout the album. However, Styles uses repetitive lyrics once again, repeating the song’s name for almost a full minute at the end.
“Are You Listening Yet?” leans into the disco 70’s vibes promoted through the latter half of the album’s name. With almost too many metaphors, the song depicts anxiety, singing the song of the voice inside people’s heads telling them what to do, how they’re wrong and that they’re failing.
With lyrics of “Can you hear the voice, the one inside your head?” and “Oh, are you listening yet?” once again repeated ten times in a row in the outro, one can wonder if his break lasted long enough or if the repetitive message tells a story not yet fully written or ready to be understood.
“Taste Back” and “Paint By Numbers” hold the saddest melodies on Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. The former holds a dreamy intro while keeping the consistency of the electronic sound and goes back to the situationship mentioned in the album’s third track. Singing “Always been a consequence when you call me baby,” Styles knows the relationship is toxic, a burn on both his and his partner’s tongues that makes them feel sick. The latter is made for a valid crashout, Styles expressing the need to be perfect and follow what fans want in the shortest — yet best — song on the album.
“The Waiting Game” contradicts itself with a fun instrumental and guitar melody, but words that cut, exploring the feelings that come from waiting for a person not even waiting to find out who they are themselves. “Season 2 Weight Loss” and “Pop” make the least sense, both on the album and in general. With lyrics that don’t make sense and once again referring to “it,” Styles should have included more of “Dance No More,” the most comprehensible track with good beats and a funky disco vibe that combats the idea that DJs don’t dance.
“Coming Up Roses” and “Carla’s Song” attempt to stand alone but fall flat compared to Styles’ past work, making them listenable, but not something to reach for if looking for a Harry Styles fix.
Overall, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. doesn’t compare to his previous, emotional work or storytelling. Although attempting to create a new persona and show a different side of himself, the repetitive lyrics at the end of every song are not only overdone, but make the entire album feel the same, with songs blurring together despite the many messages. In the future, Styles should make a point and stick to it, rather than doing something occasionally.
2.5 situationships out of 5
