Album Review: "Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally." - Harry Styles
- Tessa Brainard
- 6 minutes ago
- 10 min read
Harry Styles has been a major influence on my life since childhood. Like most girls who grew up in the early 2010s, I was a devoted Directioner, and I dedicated a large part of my Tumblr blog to them. I was devastated when Zayn left the band, even more so when the band announced a hiatus, and never came back. As part of my capstone project in my senior year of high school, I wrote a 25-page paper about One Direction and “fangirl” culture, then got matching 1D tattoos with my best friend soon after.
I’ve followed each member’s individual career closely throughout the years. Styles' fourth studio album, “Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally” (now aptly nicknamed by fans as “Kissco”), was released on March 6. Kissco charts new territory in his catalogue. Inspired by 80’s new wave and 90s house music, as well as various elements of funk, psychedelic, and Britpop, it is unlike most of the work we've heard from him before.
In the nearly four years since his last album cycle with “Harry’s House,” Styles has spent much of his time out of the public eye. Residing in Italy for much of this time, he has stated that he needed this time to figure out who he was outside of the public persona to fully feel present in his life again. While he loves what he does professionally, having it consume his entire personality since his adolescence was taking its toll.
I wasn’t sure what to expect after four years without his music, and once lyrics, singles and album concept art started to be teased, I wasn’t sure how I'd feel about this progression. It was immediately so different from anything he’s ever done, yet I knew I had to hear more.
Tracklist
Aperature
American Girls
Ready, Steady, Go!
Are You Listening Yet?
Taste Back
The Waiting Game
Season 2 Weight Loss
Coming Up Roses
Pop
Dance No More
Paint By Numbers
Carla’s Song
Aperature
The album opens with “Aperature,” the record’s first single. Released on Jan. 22, this track swaps his typical upbeat pop sound for the throbbing drive of house music and is a stark deviation from anything Styles has released up to this point.
The title comes from the aperture control on a camera lens, allowing more or less light into the photo. This track follows that concept, as Styles wants to let in as much light into his life as possible. He dreams of connecting with others to make life brighter. The repeating lyrics, “We belong together, it finally appears, it’s only love,” say it perfectly. We as humans need to come together and love each other, and the only way to feel truly free is to release the fear of connection.
American Girls
“American Girls” was an instant favorite of mine upon first listen. There is a clear maturity and personal reflection in Styles’ lyrics. At 32, he has grown immensely over the span of his 16-year career. As he watches his friends settle down and get married, he must come to terms with being in a different life stage than the people he grew up with. Even if he himself is not ready to settle down quite yet, there is still a sense of melancholy at feeling the priorities of those around you shift so drastically.
The lines, “I’ve known you for ages, that’s all that I’ve heard… I’ve seen it in stages, all over the world // my friends are in love with American girls,” reference seeing the stages of his friends’ relationships, and being on actual international stages and encountering new people and seeing their relationship dynamics, even in passing.
The bass is upbeat and rhythmic, while the ambient guitar and piano chords feel intentionally hollow. This feeling is amplified in the parts without instrumentals. With only Styles’ voice present, listeners can feel him grappling with his loneliness throughout the song. It is strong and intriguing, a clear indicator of the inward reflection he’s been doing during his hiatus.
Ready, Steady, Go!
“Ready, Steady, Go!” is another favorite of mine. This funk-inspired number follows a jumpy, grooving bassline. Yet, there is a clear house music element in the underlying synths. The instrumentals build to almost create the feeling as though you’re flying through the air on a moving train, rushing towards something at full speed.
The lyrics are sexy and fun, as Styles explores a one-night stand that turns into a multiple-night fling. “One, two, three times you’re on me, and suddenly // Ready, steady, go!” This song feels like the rush you get as the night begins; you don’t know where it’s going to end up, but by the end, you’re left breathless and craving more against your better judgment.
The track repeats the title through the latter half of the track until transitioning into a plunking piano riff that brings back the house music inspiration. Closing off at only 2 minutes and 39 seconds, I wish this song could last longer, but perhaps that’s the point. The brevity makes it somewhat unsatisfying, like a certain itch you just can’t scratch enough, and have to return to again and again.
Are You Listening Yet?
“Are You Listening Yet?” is chaotic in the best ways as Styles tries to navigate the delicate balance between listening to your head, listening to your heart, and listening to outside influences.
The first lines create a clear visual of a person trying to escape their problems through casual sex and quick fixes while simultaneously trying to be engaged in therapy, “God knows your life is on the brink // and your therapist’s well-fed // the fix of all fixes // unintimate sex.”
This stark duality is jarring, yet one that many of us can relate to. While having self-awareness behind why we may be doing something is the first step, you must still find a way to overcome self-destructive tendencies. Still, if we shouldn’t be doing them, why are they so fun?
The concept of this song is reminiscent of the line from his 2019 track, “Lights Up,” where he asked his listeners, “Do you know who you are?” In this case, he demands to know, “Are you listening [to yourself] yet?”
Taste Back
“Taste Back” navigates the experience of reconnecting with an ex as a form of familiarity during a lonely time. There’s a hopeful undertone to the lyrics as Styles recounts the feeling of settling back into a routine with this person, without even trying. He writes, “Talk in tongues, no common sense // Like two old friends // Where’d you get the confidence to call me baby?”
This song is vulnerable, with an air of heartfelt cautiousness that comes when the possibility of being hurt again by the same person arises. He needs to know if this person truly wants him back, or if they just need a little temporary comfort, as he sings, “Did you get your taste back? Or do you just need a little love?”
The Waiting Game
“The Waiting Game” is a callout to those of us who remain self-aware in negative situations while simultaneously letting them play out. We may pretend that our shortcomings aren’t truly our fault, romanticizing destructive cycles and avoiding the responsibility we have to stop them. Yet, we have the gall to pity ourselves in the end.
In this case, Styles analyzes a relationship he knows isn’t right, yet he stays anyway. Whether out of fear of being alone or needing to fill the void while biding time for something (in this case, someone) better, he is playing “the waiting game.” The instrumentals are slow and dreamy, highlighting the escape Styles describes seeking by letting this relationship play out.
Being with someone as a form of comfort to avoid being truly alone with your own thoughts may seem worth it in the moment, but it slowly drains both parties as they can’t find the strength to leave. Styles describes going “emotionally dry” as a result of staying, and the relationship is eventually a loveless husk of itself. The song is brutal to listen to and reflect upon, but perhaps it’s the honesty we need to hear.
Season 2 Weight Loss
“Season 2 Weight Loss” is a dynamic melange of sounds that truly highlights the experimental nature of this album. Dubbed “the mission statement of the album,” this song is simply Styles coming back as a stronger version of himself.
Throughout the lyrics, Styles reflects upon the feeling of letting others down by being his true self. He must get serious and decide which thoughts and opinions are his own, and which ones are manifesting as a result of craving validation from others. And is it okay to want that validation, and how much is too much?
Styles has been put upon a pedestal in the public eye since he was 16 years old, and it’s only been within the past four years that he’s truly taken time away and explored himself outside of his role as a pop star. Now reemerging into the spotlight, he feels reinvigorated and more self-assured. In a few interviews given during this album cycle, Styles has explained that he’s been enjoying music as a listener, rather than a creator, and it has invigorated his motivation and creative process. This evolution is evident throughout this entire record, but this song is the most obvious example of this growth.
Coming Up Roses
Perhaps a continuation of the story told in “Taste Back,” “Coming Up Roses” is about tentatively getting back with a former partner. However, this time, you’re hoping, “if we stay the course, we could get it right.”
The imagery puts listeners in the moment of sitting across from someone you still love over drinks. “Hangover chasing,” and stumbling over your words, you’re talking about the potential for starting over through rose-colored sentences. You’re apologizing for things you haven’t owned up to yet, and while you might not even believe the words yourself, you want the other person to.
The instrumentals are delicate, with gentle strings that feel like spring. They carry out much more of the latter portion of the song, contributing to the pensive, heartbreaking atmosphere of the song overall.
Pop
“Pop” was an instant hit for me upon first listen. It’s a true dance number with funky disco beats and a prominent bassline that makes me want to have a night out. It is a callback to Styles’ 2022 track, “Cinema,” in which he wrote, “You pop, when we get intimate.”
Though a bit less overt in its sexual nature than “Cinema,” “Pop” is still sensual and thrilling. It explores the rush of a new connection you want to enjoy in the moment. You don’t know where it will end up, but a fling is sometimes best when it consumes you wholly, taking you to places beyond your control. “Am I in over my head? // This could go anywhere // I do it again and again.” You know you should behave and put on the brakes, but you just have to see where it will go.
Like the feeling of a new crush, the instrumentals are electrifying and blended, reflecting the lyrics as Styles writes, “First time tasting it // It’s a nice mix of two flavors.” The lyrics aren’t subtle, but they’re covert enough not to feel like overkill. This heady mix is one that I’m going to have on repeat for weeks to come.
Dance No More
“Dance No More” continues to explore the feeling of being disconnected from others/yourself, despite trying to live in the present moment. The funkiest track on this album, Styles coyly masks some of its deeper meaning behind its bouncy drum-and-bass line.
The repeating line, “DJs don’t dance no more,” reflects upon the role artists must play as people who both produce and consume music. As producers, they are at the mercy of entertaining their audience, and may miss out on the fun themselves. Following the common thread of this album, the lyrics also imply that the DJ persona is a mask that Styles feels he must put on for the sake of others.
It begs the question, “Are you acting out of love and authenticity, or are you trying to put on a show so others will like you/approve of you?”
Paint By Numbers
“Paint By Numbers” grapples with feeling both grateful for and suffocated by fame. Reminiscent of the idea that someone is “stuck at the age they got famous,” Styles describes being stuck with an image that someone else has placed upon him. While he can admit that it can be lovely to be noticed, it “has nothing to do with [him]” and should instead be about the music.
He must “paint by numbers” and articulate himself in perfect alignment with these expectations, but the colors he is painting run before he can stop them. His true personality must shine through, and perhaps the true beauty comes from the colors and facets of himself running together. The instrumentals are slow and simple, beginning with little more than a strumming acoustic guitar, a snare drum, and the vulnerability in Styles’ voice. This song is ruminative and heartfelt.
Carla’s Song
Inspired by his real-life friend, the concept for “Carla’s Song” came from the moment Styles introduced Carla to Simon and Garfunkel’s album, “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” He described the moment of watching her discover this music as akin to seeing in Technicolor for the first time.
As she discovered a new world to fall in love with, it reinforced the reason behind why he makes music – to make other people feel that way through his own work. One day, he will be gone, but his songs will outlive him, and people decades from now will be able to fall in love with his work.
There is something special about seeing things you love through the eyes of someone newly experiencing them. We often go through life blind to the beauty that is constantly surrounding us, because we take it for granted. Even if we truly love the things we say we do, it may get to a point where we take them for granted. However, new life can be breathed into them when we share them.
Styles repeats the lines, “It’s all waiting there for you // I know what you like, I don’t have to read your mind // I know what you like, you can hear it any time.” These feel like a sort of mantra that reminds us that the world is waiting out there for us, and the new things that will bring us joy are right around the corner. It ties the album together with a hopeful bow; get up and see the world.
I enjoyed KATTDO overall, and I truly think it signifies growth in Styles’ personal and professional lives. The time he spent away from the spotlight gave him a chance to reevaluate who he is making his art for. While Fine Line and Harry’s House will always hold a special place in my heart, knowing that he is finally making it fully for himself breathes new life into his work.
He explores the nuances of finding himself throughout this record, with many songs having commonly threaded lyrics about the trials and tribulations of staying true to yourself, versus listening to the opinions of others, and being unsure what conclusions can even be drawn by the end of that journey. And, does that journey ever truly end? Styles still seems unsure, but perhaps finding out isn’t the answer, and dancing through life is.
Written By Tessa Brainard
*copyright not intended. Fair use act, section 107.