Dua Lipa is dua number one with this album.

By Danielle Muldoon

Quarantine queen Dua Lipa released her second studio album earlier than expected helping all of us everywhere in isolation. The album brings much needed joy, bringing the greatness of the 1980’s to a new decade. Future Nostalgia’s theme is bringing disco, dance, synth-pop and bubble-gum pop to a contemporary audience; it’s reminiscent of the sound Madonna, Kylie, Blondie and Gaga produces.

The lead single released prior to the album is ‘Don’t Start Now’ which centres around moving on from a break-up, refusing to let the ex-lover back into your life. The song shares genres of dance and synth-pop, making it popular to remix: it’s versatility to become a house-track as well as a track suited to the charts makes it appealing for a larger crowd. The catchy chorus of the lyrics also cement it into your mind so even if you dislike the song (which is rare) you will still be singing it. Plus, for anyone who’s been through a break up the lyrics resonate, in particular: ‘though it took some time to, survive you, I’m better on the other side.’ A girl power anthem that was much needed for this time of quarantine.

 A standout track from the album is the second single released ‘Break My Heart’. Once again it shares the pop of ‘Don’t Start Now’ but come the pre-chorus it enters a new wave genre, which can emulate Blondie; this is reaffirmed with Dua’s soft vocals in the chorus. Again, strikingly is the lyrics which focus on a narrative of someone who is afraid to love someone because they know they could hurt them but the power’s too strong: ‘Am I falling in love with the one who could break my heart?’ Bound to be a dancefloor classic once nightclubs and bars are re-opened.

 Madonna and Kylie’s influence is shown in the single ‘Hallucinate’; the repetitive lyrics, the dance beat in the chorus with minimal lyrics and the deep bass post-chorus. It also evokes the sound of Europop, if it was sung by a group in Eurovision nobody would think twice. It’s a feel good song: a perfect remedy to the current situation.

 A personal favourite is ‘Love Again’; it embodies all the genres the album has to offer. It has the catchy lyrics found in Europop; it has synth-pop which I find so uplifting; it creates enough of a dance track that you can use it to boost morale at pre-drinks. The violin also adds another dimension to the song that builds the into the chorus, which you mirror and build yourself into. And with the violin being the last instrument playing at the closing, the song comes full circle which embodies the album yet interestingly it is not the concluding track.

 This album is set to put a smile on your face, regardless of your music taste as if offers so much to a listener. If anyone’s struggling with being cooped up in your house stick the album on, have a wee jive and keep looking forward to that first trip to the pub with your pals.