Following the release of her chart-topping album “Brat”, Charli XCX has taken a daring and exploratory turn with the release of her newest album “Wuthering Heights.” With a completely new sound, the 12 songs in this album work together to create a unique, cohesive energy.
Written to accompany Emerald Fennels’ Wuthering Heights, this album was written as the soundtrack to the film. Eight out of the nine songs played during the movie were either composed or sung by XCX.
“House” is the opening song to the album, and was released as a single prior to the release of the full album. As the track plays listeners are met with a monologue spoken by Welsh singer-songwriter John Cale that eventually meshes with XCXs’ vocals. With dramatic string instruments playing in the background as the two converse the track sets a deeply mysterious tone for the album. Accompanied by an artfully cinematic music video, the unexpected duo joined forces to create a hauntingly elegant work of art.
Utilizing string instrument sounds throughout the album, XCX pairs her pop-like vocals with classical string instrumentals. Her track “Dying for You” has a synth-pop feel, with snippets of instrumental sounds strung together to create a catchy beat. Standing out from the rest of the song as a clear pop track, the track adds some variety to the album.
Following “Dying for You” is the song “Chains of Love,” which was released just three days after “House” to further promote the album. The track starts out simple but bursts into a symphony-like chorus, paired with equally dramatic lyrics to match. Due to its early release, the track quickly gained traction online, with clips of the chorus circulating widely on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. With people sharing content using XCXs’ music in the backgrounds, it helped the track make its way across social media and bring the sound to a wider audience.
XCX’s album as a whole marks a bold step into entirely new territory; with sweeping classical strings and cinematic storytelling, she creates an album that feels both modern and timeless. Coming from someone who has followed XCX since her “Charli” tour in 2019, the switch from her normal hyper-pop style was an abrupt one, but one that has worked out for her. The songs now are more vocal-heavy compared to her more recent works, and vocals as strong as hers should be showcased more often than she does.
Though it was written with Fennell’s film in mind, the project works not only as a film soundtrack but also as a listening experience on its own. Each track adds another layer to the atmosphere of the story, building emotion through dramatic instrumentation and hauntingly good melodies.
Now knowing that XCX is willing to do soundtracks, I can only hope that she will explore this further and continue the use of string instruments within her work. As she has recently told the “Feeding Starving Celebrities” podcast that she is considering “quitting music” to focus on her acting career. After the release of her mockumentary “The Moment,” it is clear that it’s time for XCX to step into a whole new realm of media. I personally cannot wait to see the work XCX produces in her future, and I have full confidence that she will succeed in whatever work she chooses to do next.
