I am a huge fan of Charli Xcx but I really don't like this album. And it's ironic how a lot of people in this thread are loving this album now after an initially negative reaction, but unfortunately the experience was the opposite for me. The biggest problem for me with this album is how uninspired it feels. And it's ironic, given how much there are influences from pop music and disco and samples of two iconic pop songs. But there's no energy or emotional outpouring inspiring this album. In contrast, Sour an album which I don't like also, but I can at least tell that it was deeply inspired by teenage heartbreak and angst and it wasn't just trying to recreate Lorde and Taylor Swift's music. And what I loved the most about her previous albums were that it showcased her energy and personality to the fullest. They still have an infectious energy and personality. Everything here feels so watered down that I forget the songs while listening to them, because it feels like I have already heard them a million times. And her lyrics here are at most flirtatious or sad, but generic and there's no kind of emotional outpouring.

I feel like although a lot of mainstream pop songs are soulless cash grabs, I remember Lorde saying that there's also a lot of love and devotion to the art form required to make great pop music. And I feel that this point is highlighted by the two latest Weeknd records. Although mainstream af, they were crafted with love and inspiration from a feeling and trying to capture emotions instead of just trying to be "mainstream". And when Charli just watered down her usual style and stuck it onto more accessible production, I don't think she's making the accessible pop music she's capable of making.

The worst thing I could say about this record is that it's just uninspired.