Late at night, driving down the highway, music feels like the soundtrack to your movie, not background noise. The sky is dark, lights blur past you, and there are certain albums that are built for that atmosphere. On “Kiss All the Time. Disco Occasionally,” Harry Styles leans into that feeling; this project wanders, shimmers and occasionally holds itself back.
Styles has reinvented himself again, moving further away from the pop-rock formula that defined his earlier music. This album’s sound is much more atmospheric and moody, almost cinematic at times. Compared to his previous works, where all his songs built toward a punchy chorus or catchy hooks, these songs drift forward slowly.
“Coming Up Roses” is one moment where the album truly shines. The song explores the vulnerability that comes with new love and the inevitable fear and insecurity of it ending. The song features a stripped-down strings arrangement that lets his vocals radiate. Styles referred to it as “one of my favorite things I’ve ever done,” and it shows in the contemplative and honest lyrics: “Does all of this seem to be bringing us closer? / Or am I back-seating your life? / Judging while you drive.”
The album’s most defining trait is its production. It features heavy use of the electronic, modular synthesizer and the sound of it is extremely cohesive, each song flowing into the next pretty naturally. Although it lacks standout moments, it seems as though it was designed to be one complete listening experience. Styles also shows a willingness to step away from the style that made him widely successful and brought him commercial success, instead embracing a slower, more experimental approach to the arrangement.
The album’s ambition occasionally works against it. The lyrics are easily the weakest element of the project as a whole. Many lines feel repetitive and general, exploring the same themes of love, fame and nostalgia, without adding much specificity.
The lyrics “Am I in over my head? / This could go anywhere / I do it and do it again / It’s meant to be pop” from “Pop” or “I’ve seen it in stages all over the world / My friends are in love with American girls / I’ve known you for ages / American girls” from “American Girls” feel vague and underwritten instead of revealing, resulting in a lack of emotional depth.
Compared to his earlier works, this album can occasionally feel like it’s lacking the elements that make his music so striking. Previous releases featured a strong vocal performance and an emotional impact, where raw vocals cut through the production. The song “Fine Line,” from his 2019 album “Fine Line,” for example, builds from quiet acoustic guitar to a swelling, triumphant orchestral and horn arrangement with raw and vulnerable vocals. On “Kiss All the Time. Disco Occasionally,” the vocals are so processed and layered that some immediacy disappears. Instead of big emotional climaxes, these songs tend to be in the same restrained register throughout.
Although the album has its flaws, these shortcomings do not overshadow the album’s overall strengths. What ultimately makes this project a compelling piece is its confidence and his artistic curiosity. Styles has pushed his sound into a more atmospheric direction; while it may not deliver the same obvious hits and standout vocals, it succeeds in that it created a deeply immersive listening experience. As a whole, this album feels like the work of an artist that’s willing to evolve and that willingness is what makes this album both rewarding and intriguing.
