By: Jude Figueroa

After a hiatus that felt like forever ago, Harry Styles has finally made his long-awaited return to the Pop scene with his release Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. which many fans have abbreviated into Kissco, so for the sake of trendiness (and laziness), I’ll be doing the same. The album almost feels like a step up from his previous releases; although Harry keeps his signature pop sound, the album is full of different elements that creatively set it apart from Harry’s House. Yes, of course, it’s your run-of-the-mill pop album. But Harry makes sure to give a nod to some of his favorite genres like disco, indie pop/rock, and electronica. The songs are a journey through Harry’s self-discovery, tumultuous love life, fear of missing out, and learning how to combine the artist with the human. I will do my best to give a play-by-play of the songs I felt stuck out the most. 
Although I wasn’t exactly sold on the album when Aperture released, it sets the stage for the album’s themes. Not just lyrically, but audibly as well. As mentioned earlier, Harry uses several different elements of dance music, like heavy, layered synths and crisp drum pads, in comparison to his more classic pop-rock sounds. There is some sprinkling of piano and guitar to add more texture, but it is reminiscent of something that would be playing in your average club scene. The lyrics frame the picture for us: he has optimism for himself and possibly his lover, and all in all, he wants to grow. 
On Taste Back, I felt as if Harry was sending a love letter to LCD Soundsystem, Two Door Cinema Club, and the 1975. While contemplating his lost lover’s reappearance, Harry embraces the indietronica sound. It’s filled with bright, colorful loops surrounded by a punchy rhythm section paired with sharp synths and drum pads. As a fan of the genre, this might be my personal favorite of the record. However, the lyrics are still reminiscent of Harry’s signature writing. Harry describes a run-in with his lost lover, or at the very least, a very sudden return after seeming as if they wanted to move on from him. The title itself is a call to what exactly he’s questioning: Are you back because you realized we could be a sure thing, or because you’re craving familiarity? Do you really want me back, or the “idea” of me? Or rather–something that is a repeating theme in the album–the version you once knew? For Harry, both his and his lover’s habits die hard. 
Finally, Paint by Numbers is a preview into Harry’s introspection of how his fame has shaped how he presents himself. Harry gets honest with the listener, explaining how he feels stuck in time through the perspective of his fans. His line, “Holding the weight of the American children whose hearts you break,” is the crux of the song: because of how big his career was at such a young age, he’s constantly holding himself up to the standards the fans set for him. His image had already been made for him during the One Direction era, so once he entered his solo career, his creative freedom became restricted by it. He even references memories with 1D, calling back to the fun he had with the band in the line, “Kids with water guns, watch them run.” Paint by Numbers is full of guitars that swell, bittersweet harmonies, and drums that almost feel like we’re taking a walk through Harry’s life, matching the coming-of-age tone of the song. 
Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. feels to me as if Harry’s finally finding the pieces to his puzzle. The entire album feels as if we’re getting a glimpse into what Harry’s been through and up to all this time that he’s been gone, and I’m glad that he has continued to let himself have this level of vulnerability in his songs. Although he definitely struggles with finding what he feels is or isn’t good enough for his fans to see, Kissco feels like he’s found balance: he loves when he can, dances when he feels like it, and reflects when needed. And really, isn’t that all any of us are trying to do in a time where it feels strange to even be as joyful as he is? Turns out the hiatus did him some good, and us too. 

Juliana (Jules, Jude) Figueroa (they/she) is a Psychology major at Holy Family University. They have minors in Philosophy and Mental Health Services, and a passion for music on the side. Her interests and hobbies include art/art history, literature of any kind, and mediocre, “so bad that it’s good” media.