In “Cruel World,” the title track of this album, a disco ball appears to be spinning. She turns very slowly over the dance floor of a club that has long since emptied. Synths dab little star tones in the background – and what is Holly Humberstone doing? Sings: “To die with you is to die happy.” It’s almost a Lana Del Rey moment in its morbidity, even if the Brit actually works differently. On her second album, the singer cultivates a pop language that strikes a very precise balance between dreamy arrangements and great melodies.
Bedroom indie beckons from the background, but also seventies and nineties pop. Last but not least, not far away are the great contemporary pop authors. With at least three songs, Humberstone seemingly effortlessly joins the Swift and Rodrigo league: “White Noise” deals with the heartbreak from the club toilet. “To Love Somebody” tries to charge it positively – the message: If you’re falling deeply, that means that you were at the top at some point.
And in “Red Chevy” she begs: “Kiss me like you fuckin’ mean it.” An airy saxophone plays a few ad-libs. In any case, there is a lot of doubt on this album, a lot of pleading, a lot of searching, but also: embracing the world. Sometimes you get the feeling that all these stories might not end well. Just like in real life.
