By Kelly Cheng, Staff Writer
Artist: Charli xcx and Various Artists
Album: Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat
Favorite Tracks: Sympathy is a knife featuring ariana grande, Everything is romantic featuring caroline polachek, B2b featuring tinashe
For Fans Of: SOPHIE, Arca, Magdalena Bay
Bratumn Has Commenced
Following the success of her sixth studio album Brat and the rise of “brat summer” on social media platforms, Charli xcx’s has recently released Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat as a remixed and reimagined version of the hyperpop sensation. This album is not your typical remix collection; instead, it serves as Charli xcx’s ode to electro-pop, featuring collaborations with musical icons such as Ariana Grande, Lorde, Julian Casablancas, and many more prominent figures in music.
Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat is a beautifully crafted rework of the original Brat album, encapsulating the essence of Brat summer: to be unapologetically honest, to allow space for change and innovation, and most importantly, to have fun with your friends.
The album feels like more than just a remix project; each track is thoughtfully rewired and modified to work with its respective featured artists. It also feels like a more intimate, wind-down version of the original Brat album, with its famous “party tracks” simmering down to a melancholic yet electrifying rework, like the silence of the walk home after the function.
Rewired, reimagined, redefined
Featuring many of today's biggest names in music, Charli xcx breaks the stigma of a typical remix album, where the featured artist often just contributes a verse or harmonies. Instead, she experiments with making something “completely different,” inviting creativity from each featured artist, channeling their personal styles, and incorporating them into the track. At the same time, she brings her own hyperpop flair from her Pop 2 days.
One of the most hyped-up tracks, “Sympathy is a knife featuring ariana grande”, is the perfect embodiment of this innovation. The track sounds both entirely new yet still retains the essence of the original “Sympathy Is a Knife” angst; by the production embracing both Ariana’s pop princess-esque style and Charli’s unapologetic brat aesthetic, the song itself works as a “knife”, with both artists coming together to explore and play with the metaphor. This track is a vulnerable dissection of fame in all its beauty and terror, which feels both innovative and emotionally poignant.
Charli xcx’s ability to approach the same song with different nuances and explore the meaning beyond its original form, yet retain its cohesive theme, is a masterful exhibition of her artistry. By inviting a new narrator, each track tells a different story than its predecessor.
Genre-bending phenomenon
Sonically, the album is an open invitation to all genres of music to party together. Charli xcx’s choice of featured artists is also a deliberate choice of the genres she is toying with. Track 8, “Rewind featuring bladee”, fits naturally into Charli’s experimental vision. The Swedish artist’s dreamy, melancholic leanings meshed into the production both sonically and lyrically, making the collaboration a beautiful challenge of the boundaries of hyperpop even further into avant-garde territory. Indie-folk artist Bon Iver’s contribution on “I think about it all the time featuring bon iver” is another well done example of genre fusion. Bon Iver's signature low-toned, layered, and experimental soundscapes blend beautifully with Charli’s exploration of deeper themes like FOMO, love, and fame.
Ultimately, Charli xcx beautifully brings in other narratives into the conversation that is Brat, and we as listeners go from hearing her experiences at the party bathroom, to Ariana’s discontent with modern day media toxicity, to ultimately, finding ourselves not just as spectators, but as participants in the intricate dance of girlhood, grief, and the pressure of public image.
Brat and It's Even Better
Ultimately, Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat is an outstanding album that invites deeper exploration and could be dissected track by track for its excellence in production, lyrical layers and artistry in general. Tracks like Girl, so confusing featuring lorde and Apple featuring the japanese house showcase Charli’s ability to blend intricate storytelling with bold sonic experimentation, while tracks such as Mean girls featuring julian casablancas adds a raw edge, mixing indie rock with hyperpop in a way that feels both nostalgic and futuristic.
Each song reflects Charli's willingness to push the boundaries of genre and collaboration, making the album as thought-provoking as it is enjoyable. It’s a project that not only breaks down musical conventions but also explores the emotional complexities of life. Ultimately, Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat stands as a thrilling, genre-bending experience that’s as perfect for introspection as it is for the dancefloor. With its innovative sound and dynamic collaborations, this album is an ode to pop that is sure to go down as a club classic, a moment in music where experimentation reigns supreme.
