Indie pop singer-songwriter much-anticipated return has arrived with the release of her sophomore album, ‘I think I spoke too soon’. Having spent the years following the release of her debut album, tentatively turning away from her indie-pop/rock roots, this album chronicles Chinouriri’s turbulent twenties, sonic expansion and, most importantly, her discovery of the dancefloor.
The album begins with the first single, ‘One song away from crying’, a synth-pop track you can imagine listening to under the glistening lights of a disco ball, two-stepping on a sticky club dancefloor with something strong in hand. Against a disco beat, bright synths and a ‘crying in the club’ energy which brings Robyn’s ‘Dancing On My Own’ to mind, this track eases the listener into Chinouriri’s fresh new sound.
The dancefloor antics continue with the party girl anthem ‘Pretty girls’ and the groovy ‘Baby steps’ which begins with a refreshing 80s-esque ballad introduction. However, Chinouriri proves to be devoted to her equally devoted fanbase, the ‘Darlings’, as she doesn’t totally neglect her musical roots – the disco-infused tracklist is broken up by firm nods to her past. Songs like ‘I’m a star’ and ‘AAAHHH!!!’ wouldn’t be amiss on her first album, ‘What A Devastating Turn Of Events’, with their driving drum beats, heavy guitars and Chinouriri’s beautiful vocals being the focal point.
On her debut, Chinouriri made herself known for her way with words. ‘I think I spoke too soon’ depicts this same ability, but one hundred times stronger. Her storytelling is at its most poignant on the infectious electronic track, ‘Broken chair’, an introspective song following her flailing attempts to use partying as a coping mechanism – “You look lonely but not me / I’ve got plenty of friends ‘til the last call”. Only Chinouriri could turn the sight of an old, musty chair discarded on a London street at night into a catchy yet vulnerable reflection of party culture in your twenties, and the denial that comes along with it.
Ending with an emotive number accompanied by a slow beat and gentle vocals, ‘Crash this car’ encapsulates the fluctuating feeling of being in your twenties. Wrapped up in life, she questions “will we crash this car? / Will we break our hearts? / Will we be somebody?”
‘I think I spoke too soon’ is a captivating second offering from Rachel Chinouriri. Stepping out from the safety of classic indie-pop and creating a sound which blends indie-rock with dance, synth-pop and disco, she has once again marked herself as the next big thing in pop.
8/10
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