Dua Lipa--"Radical Optimism" (album)

Dua Lipa’s latest offering, Radical Optimism, lives up to its title, injecting messages of hope, positivity, and motivation into the brain, as well as the feet of the listener.

The album opens up with a sonic dose of sunshine and breezy romance with "End of an Era". “The sweetest pleasure, I feel like we’re gonna be together, this could be the end of an era…”.  It flows beautifully straight into the dancefloor groove (supported by the classy and energetic video) of “Houdini”.

Moving forward into “Training Session” and “These Walls”, gentle harmonies flow over steady grooves and enthusiastic memorable melodies.  I cannot help but seeing Lipa herself driving along the ocean while basking in the sun of adventure and positivity.

Opening with a short atmospheric break, “Whatcha Doing” settles into more contemplative territory, as she explores her inner world while maintaining a steady groove.  A very clever way of conveying thought-provoking lyrics such as “me and my thoughts alone…. if control is my religion, then I’m heading for collision”.

The album continues with its consistent flow and organic production style, creating a great balance of deep snare drums, funky rhythms, and almost retro piano in certain places.

One thing that is notable is not only the soulful quality of Lipa’s voice, but the command of rhythm in her delivery, interlocking tightly with the instrumentation.  This is not always common in such melodic pop music, particularly this ability to shift from longer phrases to more staccato phrasing.

The final track, “Happy For You” contains wonderful, syncopated drums that fade into the main groove and opens up into an almost epic soundtrack-like chorus, with soaring vocals, luscious bass swells, and percolating electronica settled into the mix.

In conclusion, Radical Optimism proudly demonstrates its title both lyrically and musically.  Highly recommended for both sunny drives and the dance floor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suAR1PYFNYA