With the journey his new release takes, Troye Sivan’s sophomore album Bloom comes to encapsulate and define a new age of dark pop.
Released last week, the 10 track record creates a more danceable and synth driven atmosphere with tracks like “Bloom” and “Dance To This” featuring Ariana Grande. But the album does take its moments to pause, with some ballad pieces such as “Postcards” and “Good side”.
Upon listening to the first track “Seventeen”, it seemed that Sivan picked up where he left off with the youthful tone of Blue Neighbourhood. The track mixes emotions about losing his teenage innocence to an older man with a juxtaposed danceable nature. The chorus makes you lose yourself with its ambience, drifting guitar riffs and his sultry backing vocals, all revolving around the words “I went looking for love when I was seventeen”. This in turns puts a curtain over the serious nature of the song, allowing the listener to see through its near transparency if listened closely enough.
“Plum” was another unique track. I was initially intrigued by the title, not knowing what the song would really be about. But upon listening to the chorus “even the sweetest plum, has only got so long” the clever metaphor of the humble plum being used as a ripening relationship kept me repeating the words over and over again. It created a soundscape similar to “Seventeen”; a dreamy, drifting atmosphere that would leave anyone looking to lose themselves on the dance floor ready to listen.
Besides the heavy dance hits, Sivan gives moments of solace with slower moving pieces. “The Good Side” has an almost hypnotising synth pizzicato melody introduction, that caught my ear immediately. Accompanied by a soothing acoustic guitar strum, Sivan tells the story how he got the “The Good Side” of things during the end result of a relationship. Apologising to his former lover that he has the better end of things during their time apart.
Sivan’s songwriting ability has definitely evolved to a more sophisticated nature. Every song has its moments where the right thing is said at the right time at the right place. His unique style of storytelling mixed with the intricate high standard of music production really gives Sivan his unique voice to stand out in the music industry.
This release takes you into the life of a young queer pop talent navigating his way into the modern world. I hope Sivan takes this sound further into a different landscape, whilst still remaining to be the dance-pop idol of this day and age. Thoroughly impressed.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Bloom is available now
