When I first pressed play on Harry Styles’ “Kiss All The Time, Disco Occasionally,” I expected disco.
Not a vague, modern interpretation of disco. The kind of disco with a glowing dance floor, a giant disco ball spinning above the room, frizzy hair, sweaty dancing and a slightly watered-down gin and tonic in hand.
Think ABBA, the Bee Gees or Gloria Gaynor.
Instead, the album feels like something stranger. Almost like Bleachers and Earth, Wind & Fire had an illegitimate child.
The production leans heavily into synths, bass guitar and strange percussive sound — the occasional pots-and-pans moment that feels very Jack Antonoff. At times it works, and at times it feels exhausting.
It’s not that the album fails to be a dance album. It’s its own thing entirely. And that isn’t necessarily bad, it’s just confusing.
When “The Life of a Showgirl” came out, many listeners didn’t know what to do with it either. Over time, it grew on people. I suspect this album may follow the same trajectory.
But nonetheless, on the first listen, it’s overwhelming.
The songs blur together. The sound is repetitive. And sometimes I genuinely have no idea what Harry is saying.
I’m not opposed to songs with hidden meanings. One of my favorite albums is Taylor Swift’s “evermore,” which is packed with layered storytelling and historical references.
But to unpack a lyric, I first have to understand what words are being sung. With this album, I often had to pull up Genius not just to analyze symbolism, but simply to figure out what the lyric was.
I know artists evolve, experiment and take risks.
When Taylor Swift transitioned from country to pop, critics mocked her relentlessly. Now, she has written some of the most celebrated pop albums of all time.
Maybe this album is Harry’s version of that leap. Maybe he’s on his way to becoming the king of disco.
The Good:
“Aperture” opens the album on a strong note. The song captures the moment when liquid courage pushes someone from the sidelines to the dance floor. It feels playful and energetic without becoming overwhelming.
“Taste Back” explores the uncertainty of rekindled love. The lyrics feel thoughtful and reflective while still maintaining the album’s upbeat energy. It’s one of the few tracks where the emotional theme and the production work together instead of competing.
“The Waiting Game” stands out for its vulnerability. The production strikes a balance many other songs on the album miss — energetic enough to move but restrained enough to let the lyrics breathe.
“Coming up Roses” may be the album’s most emotionally honest moment. The lyrics show rare self-awareness as Harry reflects on guilt and emotional responsibility in a relationship.
“Dance No More” finally delivers the disco energy the album promises. The song captures the emotional release of dancing until joy and exhaustion blur together. If the entire album sounded like this, the concept would feel much more cohesive.
“Paint By Numbers” is arguably the strongest track. It’s reflective and nostalgic. It carries subtle echoes of Harry’s earlier work with One Direction while embracing maturity and self-compassion.
“Carla’s Song” feels like it could have lived on Harry’s House. The track is softer and more reflective than much of the album, offering the album a calmer ending after the surrounding chaos.
The Bad:
“American Girls” quickly becomes exhausting. The song repeats the same line over and over, which makes the concept feel thin even with a few clever lyrics.
“Ready, Steady, Go!” references a British pop music show, which fits the song’s energetic theme of youthful relationships. But the chaotic production makes the track feel more stressful than exciting. Thirty seconds in, it feels like I’m having a brain aneurysm. Thirty seconds after that, it sounds like a completely different song. It’s wildly unpredictable and not in a good way.
“Are You Listening Yet?” is wildly ironic. Unfortunately Harry, yes, I am listening. This song feels like someone turned the volume knob to chaos and forgot to write an actual song underneath it. Somewhere in there might be a thoughtful idea, but good luck finding it.
“Pop" sounds like Maroon 5 and “What Does the Fox Say?” had a musical child. It’s chaotic and ridiculous. As the song progresses, it feels like someone let their toddler bang her hands all over a synthesizer.
The Verdict:
For the record, I am a Harry stan. From his days as a teenage baker on the X Factor to becoming a multi-Grammy winning global superstar, I’ve followed him loyally.
But loving an artist doesn’t mean pretending everything they release is perfect. I have Taylor Swift songs hidden on my Spotify because they make me cringe. Being a fan doesn’t require hive-mind approval.
So, here’s my honest take: the album isn’t bad, it’s just incredibly niche.
And when an incredibly niche album comes from one of the biggest pop stars in the world, the result is less “disco revival” and more confusion with occasional disco.
This album is not a casual listening experience. This album demands your full attention.
You can’t sit down. You can’t relax. You can’t do an assignment.
You have to be ready to dance. And if you’re not, it’s exhausting.
Contact Alannah Peters @apeters@alligator.org. Follow her on X @alannahjp777.
Alannah Peters is a junior majoring in journalism and minoring in public relations. In her spare time, she can be found trying new coffee shops with friends, traveling the U.S. or going on hot girl walks at Lake Alice.
