After four long years, Harry Styles has finally returned to the spotlight, and he’s done it with flair. His latest album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally., proves that the pop sensation continues to evolve while staying true to his roots. Blending elements of synth-pop, electric rock, and sweet ballads, the record feels like the natural next step in Styles’ solo music journey. The opening track, the vibrant lead single Aperture, sets an upbeat tone that instantly hooks listeners and sets the mood for what’s to come. As someone who stayed up until midnight to stream the album the moment it dropped, I can confidently say the wait was worth it. After my first full listen, here are a couple of the standout tracks.
Track four of the album is titled Are You Listening Yet? and believe me, I’m listening. The song opens with a moody, intimate tone, Styles’ voice steady and intense through the first verse. Then, it lifts into a catchy, danceable chorus that captures the album’s “disco” flair in full force. The bright synths and driving beat make it impossible to sit still, while the memorable chorus itself lingers long after the track fades. The song instantly climbed its way up to my favorite on the album, providing the kind of tune that fans will be singing along to after just a single listen.
Immediately following Are You Listening Yet? comes track five, Taste Back, a near-perfect follow-up that keeps the energy alive. Similar to Styles’ earlier hit Satellite, the song opens gently, almost tricking listeners into expecting a slow ballad. However, that illusion doesn’t last long. The track builds with layered instrumentals and a steady beat before rising into a mellow chorus and bridge that gets caught in your head. It’s the kind of song made for rolling the windows down and letting the music take over, an essential song for warm summer drives.
Taking the album in the Kiss All The Time direction, track eight, Coming Up Roses, captures the soft, lovey-dovey vibe perfectly. Opening with cinematic violin strings and gentle vocals, this song unfolds like a subtle tear-jerker. When listening to the album in order, this track marks the first real switch from the upbeat electric-disco energy, offering a breathtaking change of pace. It paints a picture of two lovers struggling to communicate yet finding comfort in each other, with lyrics like, “We’ll see out the night with your head on my chest, me and you,” revealing a tender vulnerability in Styles’ writing. This song is easily comparable to his earlier works, such as Matilda or Cherry, Coming Up Roses stands as the emotional pinnacle of the album.
Ending the album with a bang, the closing track, Carla’s Song, feels so perfectly placed that it’s hard to imagine it anywhere else. In a recent interview for Apple Music, Styles explained that this song was written about the joy of sharing music and the way it connects people, a fitting theme for a finale. With a repetitive outro that slowly fades into silence, it leaves the listener reflecting long after the last note. Filled with raw emotion and gracefully composed, the song radiates a calm, lasting sense of joy that stays with the listener. With Styles repeating the lines, “It’s all waiting there for you, I know what you like,” he sends his listeners off in the most heartfelt, satisfying way possible.
I seriously can’t say enough good things about this album. Usually, when a new release drops, I need time to let the songs grow on me. However, that wasn’t the case for this album. With Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally., Styles takes a creative leap, and lands it beautifully. If you like upbeat, disco-vibe music with the occasional waterworks, this album is right up your alley. It’s safe to say this album is a solid 10 out of 10, and it’ll be on repeat for weeks to come.
