RATING: 7.5/10
The hotly anticipated new Doja Cat album Planet Her is finally here, and once again Doja is doing something brand new. At its heart though, Planet Her is pop with an edge. Planet Her doesn't take itself too seriously, which allows the whole album to feel light and fun, something which we've been missing in a lot of post-pandemic releases.
Every song on the album is multi-layered, with all sorts of instruments and harmonies being found in places you might least expect them. On 'Payday' (ft Young Thug) we find a string-filled introduction, and on 'Along' we seem to find a simple guitar as the main instrumental. 'Love To Dream' then acts as a way to show exactly what Doja Cat's vocals can do beyond rapping, as the dainty harmonies flow through the song to emphasise the dream-like state as portrayed in the lyrics "We just love to dream / I fell asleep when you woke up"
There are plenty of significant collaborations on Planet Her, some that work well and some that fall a little flat. The previously released single 'Kiss Me More' with SZA acts as a definite soundtrack, with its easy to listen groove and SZAs smooth vocals marrying perfectly with Doja's. The collaboration with Ariana Grande, 'Don't Do Drugs' is also another success, but with such a powerhouse like Grande involved, that was never really in doubt. However, not every collaboration with a hit, with 'Options' ft JID just not hitting the same as other tracks.
With Planet Her also came to the release of 'Ain't Shit', a song which went viral after Doja Cat gave fans a taste of it on a live-in 2020.'Aint Shit' is a perfect summary of Doja Cat's whole energy, filled with attitude and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and a beat to get you vibing along to it.
It's clear that Doja Cat was experimenting on this album, trying to go above and beyond and create something that nobody has really heard before. Although this is admirable, at some points the genre and sound confusion take over and the songs feel a little messy. However, this doesn't stop the album from being a good listen from beginning to end.
Overall, Planet Her is entertaining and energetic and provides a good set of tracks to find yourself bopping to. With its carefree feel and pop-but-better sound, Doja Cat provides listeners a break from reality which is exactly what a lot of people need right now. It's not the deepest album, it won't get you thinking, but it'll get you having a good time and sometimes that's exactly what music should do.
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