Tracks: Aperture; American Girls; Ready, Steady, Go!; Are You Listening Yet?; Taste Back; The Waiting Game; Season 2 Weight Loss; Coming Up Roses; Pop; Dance No More; Paint By Numbers; Carla's Song

Label: Erskine Records Ltd.


The success of Harry Styles' first three albums doesn't particularly need clarification. He rode the crest of the wave in the immediacy of the post-One Direction period by demonstrating he was an artist in his own right. Rather than playing the pop puppet card, he demonstrated his own ability with song crafting over the course of three distinctive records that boasted radio appeal alongside their artistic integrity. As a result, he has been catapulted to icon status.

However, icon status is draining, and, unsurprisingly, after what was a truly epic tour in support of his third studio album, Harry's House, he needed to take some time to just live and breathe. Having refreshed his heart, soul and mind, he returned earlier this year with the strikingly different Aperture. After really enjoying exploring LCD Soundsystem in their live setting, he crafted a more minimalist disco-driven song for his big return. It was met with applause, and now it shares its iconic status following the truly impressive live debut of the song at the recent Brit Awards.

With Aperture proving itself one of his biggest hits to date, the anticipation has been mounting for his long-awaited fourth release. Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally is the record that Aperture suggested. It has less of a drive towards immediate radio success but rather an almost introverted focus on self-discovery and exploration in a quiet and understated, yet equally explosive, disco drive.

Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally is not an album that will not make you move. He has an almost hypnotic undertone that instantly makes you shimmy from the moment Aperture opens the release and doesn't free you from that shimmy until the close of Carla's Song. However, there are very few moments that will make your moves larger and bolder in the way his earlier albums did.

This is not an issue. As it just simply marks a new chapter in Harry's musical realm. However, within the album's 12 songs there are some moments of real lyrical clunkiness that seem out of character for an artist who has always impressed lyrically. At its weakest, American Girls is just a little banal and repetitive.

On the flip side the drive of Are You Listening Yet? With its semi-sprechgesang delivery, it is destined to become one of his most unforgettable recordings to date, while Dance No More will have you headed to dance around your kitchen within seconds.

Though this is an album with a few flaws, the overall release is one that is compelling and immediately addictive.