Perpetuating the pop culture phenomenon known as “Brat Summer,” British pop star Charli XCX released a remix version of her most recent album, “BRAT,” on Friday.
The album, titled “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat,” features an array of artists like Ariana Grande, Troye Sivan and Lorde. In the most striking and maximalist fashion, Charli gloriously reworks the pop record that became a cultural timepiece of the summer.
The most memorable qualities of “BRAT” are Charli’s beautifully vulnerable lyricism and pristine techno-pop instrumentation. In the original “Club classics,” Charli sings, “I wanna dance to me / I wanna dance to A.G. / I wanna dance with George / I wanna dance to Sophie.”
The remix album is invitational, as Charli’s refined palette for club music becomes a collective effort from artists sounding privileged to contribute to an instant classic.
The song “Sympathy is a knife” on the “BRAT” album explores the anxieties of being a female pop artist in the spotlight. On the remix, with bombastic synthesizers and cluttered percussion patterns, Ariana Grande’s silky vocals comment on these struggles as she sings, “It’s a knife when you’re so pretty, they think it must be fake / It’s a knife when they dissect your body on the front page.”
American singer Caroline Polachek’s feature on “Everything is romantic” is a series of anxiety-driven phone calls from Charli. The instrumental deters from the club music typical throughout “BRAT” and allows for meaningful dialogue between the two pop stars hoping to relate through their mutual fear of immense fame. As Charli responds, Polachek’s luxurious vocals appear in the background as a reminder of her support for Charli.
“Talk talk featuring troye sivan” portrays one of the main ideas of Charli’s music when her current tour mate, Sivan, sings, “I’ll be honest you scare me / My life’s supposed to be a party.” The fearfulness is inverted as the chorus hops with splendor, reminiscent of traditional ‘90s house music.
The centerpiece of the remix album is “Girl, so confusing featuring lorde.” Charli’s uneasiness reaches a climax that is less focused on fame but rather on interactions with female artists she respects but cannot understand, such as Lorde. This track is less of a remix, as the second verse is Lorde’s direct response to Charli’s initial remarks.
“Yeah, I don’t know if you like me / Sometimes I think you might hate me / Sometimes I think I might hate you,” Charli sings. The tension slowly increases with each moment, almost like the first chorus is a buffer between the two singers’ conversations.
As the sizzling bass intensifies, Lorde shares Charli’s assessment on the second verse as she sings, “I never thought for a second / My voice was in your head.” The two singers join in unison, tying off the rigid energy. Finally, they chime the chorus together as if all qualms resolved within the 3 ½ minutes of the song.
Ultimately, Charli XCX’s artistry has grown more prominent than ever with “BRAT,” which is her sixth studio album.
The vibrant green and plain text on the album cover bled into the U.S. presidential campaign promotions of Vice President Kamala Harris. “Apple” became the song for a dance trend on TikTok. Charli XCX coined phrases flaunting cultural eminence, such as “I’m so Julia,” in reference to American actress and model Julia Fox.
“BRAT” established a subculture, as it is derived from a lifestyle deeply engulfed in club culture. It shows in the music. Rarely do pop stars master authentic songwriting in the electrifying context of techno-club music, but “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat” is exhilarating, communal and so anxiously reflective that it shares the immortal escapism that gives clubbing a temporary glimpse of hope.
