We’re out of Harry’s house now, and we’re out to party. On the way there, we lose the way, party on the dance floor and maybe lose ourselves in conversation. A decent album from Styles, exploring a new style.
It takes effort to keep a disco promise. Harry Styles seems to have honoured his word to reflect the music that he has truly got addicted to. Forget not, this is the artist who won the Grammy for Best Album in 2023. If he had any shoes to fill, they were his own. He seems to remind himself of balance in life with his latest album – soaked in pop, disco and dance music. This one is called Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally.
So if you want to immediately skip my bullshit, go watch Harry perform this entire album live on Netflix: One Night in Manchester. Like Gorillaz did recently, this seems to be a great way to make sure the audience gets the agenda. NO HITS, just the newer bits. It allows you to experience the artist for the music they have made, not past glory. Releasing the single Aperture, which happens to be the opening track of the album, he merges a certain vulnerability with an upbeat rhythm section that is swathed with phasing, strong percussions and his vocals through a dreamy filter.
The journey in the past 4 years
If he had invited you home with Harry’s House in 2022, he’s taking you out on a date and party 4 years later. From pages of a journal in the previous album, he’s in self-reflection, love and growth in KATDO. The second single is called American Girls, and he seems to have tread water carefully on this one. Several acclaimed artists have a song by the same name – and the vibe here is completely flipped. The pop hook remains in the chorus, not him falling in love with them – rather, his friends. Admittedly, the production is adaptive; in this album, Harry Styles stands out every time, but the rhythm remains-safe? Though the theme in itself comes from Style’s own observations, one can’t help but think there’s a template in place.
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With a meaty basbassline, Ready,Steady, Go! comes as the 3rd song on the album. Minimal overall, it has a wide array of effects on Styles voice as it goes through the blender. Once again, the production is overall impressive in how the levels present themselves in the song. Lyrics might delve into the uninspired after hearing ready, steady go several times. Are You Listening Yet? comes up next, with lyrical explorations actually daring to venture. Perhaps after a certain degree of fame, experiences overlap to such a distinct level that inspiration has to strike like lightning in a brisk moment. Which is where the collaborators for the album come in, really shining through in certain songs.
Orchestra, bass and that familiar face
Taste Back brings wisps of the House Gospel Choir in the background, while orchestral arrangements are done by Jules Buckley of the Metropole Orkest. I find a lot of the grooves well curated, wound tightly around the obvious aura Harry Styles carries in his voice. As much as he sounds like he is nonchalant, you can hear some degree of care in his voice for all these songs. The especially dreamy atmosphere of The Waiting Game makes you want to focus on Harry’s voice. Chord changes aren’t as typical as you’d expect. This balance of the “disco” and celebratory theme is what generally suits Harry Styles as a brand and voice now. It is an introspective layer, with external observations tinkering with his thoughts and opinions. The Waiting Game is perhaps my favourite number from this 12-track collection.
Crisp, percussive and powerful drums open Season 2 Weight Loss. I suspect this to be Tom Skinner (The Smile), who was named in the collaborations, and live drums have a very different punch to them. The electronica really buzzes through in this song, alternating between his clean vocals and that radio-ready buzz. It’s a deeper conversation about the second seasons of shows, where the authentic rust falls off people and they become polished, shiny versions of their past selves. Coming Up Roses is the kind of ballad which really shows Harry’s brilliant vocals. For those who forgot how incredible his range and voice are – a fully stripped version of this song would be amazing to hear. Someone on the internet, take note. This isere Jules Buckley gives us a breathtaking string section to get absorbed into.
Things get funky, then funky
Wondering what genre all this was? Pop. I loved the Daft Punk aesthetic of this song, especially the bass and drum combo. Anthemically designed, you’re going to hear an expression of this in his live shows pop to another degree. Though I was disappointed about the lack of lyrics on this one, it’s still one of the times when we disco occasionally. Another incredible bass line is on Dance No More. I do respect the level of detail this production has put into bringing out Harry’s voice. This track actually had the traction to puncture the atmosphere with its deep, carrying groove and minimal rhythm parts.
In 2 months, you will see most of this album being performed in the Together, Together Tour after May 2026. Flipping the attention to the background might mean a live band playing with him much more involved than ever and a disco aesthetic he will definitely carry. Although I loved the campfire guitar ballad nature of Paint By Numbers, it also became a footnote closer to the album, which I was expecting to suddenly flip to disco. Carla’s Song, made for Harry’s friend Carla who got obsessed with the song Bridge Over Troubled Water, had some real legs to it. It carried the dramatic atmospheres Harry was aiming for, while closing the album on a personal note.
Pop, out of home
I mean, the album did what it said it wanted us to do. We discoed occasionally, and that’s where I felt the theme to wane away a bit. Harry Styles has undoubtedly taken some bold strides on this album; however, the magnet of generic pop has extracted the matter which he was able to bring. I don’t have a Netflix subscription, but for those who do, tell me how the live performance of the same made you feel. I might not be one of those who compare artists and their previous albums, so in itself, this album pushes strongly on the average. We know his calibre; there’s nothing to hide anymore:
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