Charli XCX Gives Fans A Fun, Glitchy New Direction With 'How I'm Feeling Now'

Charli XCX is one of those artists that I feel like I am supposed to love so much more than I do. Don’t get me wrong I am not saying I dislike her one bit, as that couldn’t be further from the truth. I just don’t see why her of all people has become such a universal critical darling that has received massive praise for her discography thus far. She is an undeniably talented musician, both in terms of her vocals and ability to connect with her listeners through her songwriting. However, I guess I’m just not sure why it is that people in the critic world have singled her out as some sort of “chosen one” in the Pop world. Maybe it’s because I’m not as early to her hype train as I should be given that 2019’s Charli was my first ever exposure to her music. Given that’s where her untouchable critical darling status seems to have started though, I’d be lying if I said I had any idea what it is that makes her so much more appealing to everyone else in the music community but me. Once again though, I also do not want to sound like someone who isn’t a fan of her music as that couldn’t be further from the truth. How I’m Feeling Now might have come alarmingly fast after her last record, especially considering there was 5 years in between her last two studio albums. However, it’s a pretty enjoyable and fun offering with some standout bops that’s fairly impressive given it was put out in such little time.

There were two things I noticed before Charli XCX’s vocals even came in for the first time on this record. Those two things being that this is a much more glitchy experience than her last, and that there are no features on the entire project. This has much more in common with 100 gecs than I ever would have expected, bringing syncopated rhythms built on scattered samples to Charli’s established Pop formula. This isn’t some sort of crazy industrialized piece of experimental noise don’t get me wrong, but the glitchier production style on here is not only fitting but sets this apart within her discography. I think this sound is a very natural progression for Charli’s sound that lends itself well to her vocals, especially when her voice is used as an instrument through sampling throughout. Her performance feels much, much more processed on this record too, but in a way that adds to the experience as opposed to detracting from it. It took me quite a few listens to see it that way as I found the excessive auto tune and vocal processing excessive at first, but I see how it works now. Songs like Forever perfectly exemplify how these progressions in her sound don’t necessarily uproot her typical Pop songwriting formula, instead emphasizing how the two worlds mesh fairly well. The heavily filtered vocals on the claws hook is another awesome example of how this direction works out very well in the context of Charli’s discography. It took a little while to grow on me, but I’m definitely in favor of the more deconstructed sound here.

I think the main underlying reason why the glitchy stuff going on in the production here works well actually lines up exactly with the other thing I noticed earlier, the lack of features. In comparison to the 12 featured artists on Charli’s last record, it felt notable to me that she was doing this entire record by herself. That definitely isn’t that big of a deal on it’s own, but it’s in the context of what that means to the music that feels much more substantial. This is definitely a more intimate and personal record, and not just because there’s nobody else that could possibly steal Charli’s spotlight. The lyricism and songwriting direction this album takes feels much more intimate, sacrificing some of her Pop grandeur in favor of a more relatable set of songs. The glitchiness of all of this mostly just serves as a way to accentuate the atmosphere and personability of the record. Having these more rhythmic and off-kilter instrumental moments feels much more comfortable for a personal record like this in comparison to the flashy glitz of her last. The directions taken to make all of these puzzle pieces come together made a lot of sense after I let this one grow on me a bit, so I have to say I admire the way the album allows all of it’s elements to work together cooperatively. I’d be willing to bet that with some more time and effort she could probably expand upon this direction in even more meaningful and interesting ways in the future, too. The Glitch Pop influences and more personal approach throughout the record feel like they are laying down the foundation for an even more ambitious form of progression that we might hear next time.

You’re probably wondering what it is I was going on about at the start of this when I was saying how I just don’t really get all the Charli XCX hype, considering I just explained exactly why I think I understand this record. That confusion doesn’t really come into play because of the music itself, but more so the spectacular reception this LP has received. While I thoroughly enjoyed both this and her last album, I’m just not sure what that extra element is that’s pushing this over the edge in terms of critical reception. Between her last album being TheNeedleDrop’s album of the year and this new one already being bolded on Rate Your Music weeks after release, Charli is undoubtedly a critical darling. Given her older material did not experience this level of praise, there’s clearly something that’s happened that’s caused her to elevate her status in the music world over the last few years. I guess I just don’t see how this new material is so much more infinitely notable than her older material, as well as what some of her peers are doing. Standout gems on this record like i finally understand and anthems are awesome tracks that I’ll come back to for a while, but there’s nothing here that screams “album of the year” to me. Both her last record and this one are thoroughly solid and entertaining Pop albums with a lot to offer, but they also definitely both have a handful of songs that are just alright. Charli is an immensely talented artist, but she’s not like some savior to the Pop world that’s going to completely alter the direction of popular music for years to come. I really enjoy her output, especially the surge in quality we’ve gotten recently, but I also just can’t help but feel this stuff is getting overhyped just a little bit.

My skepticism aside, I’m really glad that Charli is getting the recognition she is right now even if I don’t entirely agree with the full extent of that praise. There are a lot of great reasons to be a Charli XCX fan right now, and I don’t want to try and detract from any of that whatsoever. If you’re head over heels for her, especially with these last two records being particularly fun, I definitely do not blame you whatsoever. I have definitely gotten a ton of enjoyment out of both of them myself, clocking in at least a solid 6-7 full listens of this record since release. Charli is definitely one of the most fun Pop artists making waves in the genre right now, undeniably. I don’t particularly think that she’s the greatest thing to happen to music in the last five years, but there’s a lot to love going on here for sure. The glitchiness of songs on here like the punchy pink diamond and explorative c2.0 sets this record apart in the context of her career, and the more traditional flair of highlights like 7 years keeps things grounded. There are plenty of styles to indulge in, offering both promising new directions and fresh takes on her classic formula that keeps things grounded. Charli XCX has put together quite an impressive record with How I’m Feeling Now, especially given that her last album set the world on fire only a handful of months ago. I wouldn’t say that it’s as revolutionary and incredible as many critics have hailed it, but it’s definitely deserving of anybody’s time with some fantastic and highly replayable hooks tying together glitchy and fun production. - 8/10 (Best Songs - forever, i finally understand, anthems)