Future Nostalgia is a bit of an odd title for an album, particularly when you're already banking on nostalgia from the 70s and 80s. That's not really futuristic, even for nostalgia; we've been mining those fields for decades now. That said, it's not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you can make it your own. And I'd argue Dua Lipa does.
You can clearly hear the inspirations from funk and synthpop. Sometimes these influences come together particularly magically, like in the pop smash "Don't Start Now", a cheeky song about being on the other side of a breakup and blowing off the man who wants you back. Every element works out in the song's favour; the buildup to the throbbing chorus is fantastic. You then have more straightforward, synthpop-laden love letters to the 80s, like in "Physical", a wonderful dance track that kind of turns my brain to mush with how attractive it is.
But the influences don't stop there; I'm a sucker for a good "My Woman" sample and "Love Again" absolutely scratches that itch for me. You also have more stripped-down tracks like "Boys Will Be Boys", which, although I'd argue it doesn't fit the album at all, is still a pretty good song in its own right.
In fact, I don't think there's a bad song to be had on this album; there are a few underwhelming ones, but I still think they have merit. For the most part, Dua Lipa delivers a flawless album that shows that taking inspiration from the past isn't always a bad thing, particularly when you have a powerhouse voice such as hers, as well as such a forceful personality. I know she's probably experiencing her heyday as an artist this year, but this album is full of instant classics and it blows my mind (mwah) that it's not getting more attention. In my view, fantastic album.
9/10
Best Tracks: "Don't Start Now", "Cool", "Physical", "Hallucinate", "Love Again", "Break My Heart"
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