RATING: 7.5/10
Charlotte Aitchison, aka Charli XCX, is known for her experimental alt-pop, and although Crash encompasses the spirit of Charli XCX's music generally, compared to her own standards, it doesn't particularly push boundaries.
At the heart of Charli XCX's music is something that's missing from a lot of mainstream music released over the last couple of years: fun. Crash opens with a punchy title track that makes it clear that Crash is also here for a good time with its layered vocals and addictive chorus.
Although the tracks themselves may not be particularly stand out on the album, there's no doubt that Christine and The Queens and Rina Sawayama were perfect picks for collaborations on this album of borderline dance anthems. Both artists fit the vision of Crash and their input certainly adds to the album. Although the sample on Beg For You is fun, using such an obvious sample on a song with one of the key up-and-coming names in hyper-pop feels like a bit of an odd choice.
Stand-out tracks are those with silky smooth production such as echo-y and dynamic Lightning, a track that really encompasses everything that this album could have been if every song was this good. 'Yuck' is another track that falls into this category of 'if the album had been as consistently good as this, it would be almost perfection'.
Although there are no songs on the album that aren't enjoyable to listen to, there are some tracks that feel like they don't quite fit the pace and journey of Crash, like slower ballad-leaning 'Every Rule'.
Overall, Crash is a zesty mix of intense production and vibrant vocals that make the half-an-hour-long project a joy to listen to. Although the album isn't perfect, it still feels perfectly placed within the context of Charli XCX's discography and career and shows why she's still as relevant in the pop scene as she was in 2013.
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