“Radical Optimism” – Dua Lipa

Album: Radical Optimism

Artist: Dua Lipa

Year: 2024

Genre: Dance-Pop, Pop

Grade: B

Dua Lipa’s third album, Radical Optimism, only lives up to half of its title: the exuberant dance-pop anthems and thumping bass lines are bright and cheerful, but the music itself is hardly radical…unless you consider an occasional synthesizer solo to be revolutionary (which in the context of overproduced 2020s pop, sadly might be true).

Every song has a crunchy and catchy groove, with layers of slightly psychedelic sonics colorizing the backing tracks, but the overall effect feels a tad unfinished and uninspired. The songs all blend together, with few hooks or choruses or melodies that stick out. Based on the quality of her previous work, Dua Lipa is certainly capable of better. Radical Optimism is average, and therefore disappointing, by her standards: an album manufactured for Summer 2024 and that’s all.

NOTES & CHORDS

• Kevin Parker of Tame Impala produces several tracks, and his trademarks are easily identifiable. The intricate, up-front bass lines steal the show throughout the album, though it might not be a match made in heaven: Lipa’s singing is better suited to disco than R&B.

• Lipa’s singing is strong; the reason she’s a bona fide popstar: “Falling Forever” features a full-throated performance that would make Cher and Katy Perry proud. If only her melodies were as consistently interesting as they were on Future Nostalgia.

• The main problem I have with the album is its lack of cohesion. The songs are all well-produced and well-performed individually, but Radical Optimism too often feels like a nightclub mixtape and nothing more: she just wants to make hits. But there’s nothing close to “Levitating,” “We’re Good” or “New Rules” that’ll light up the dancefloor.

• The nadir of Radical Optimism is “Anything for Love,” an off-the-cuff ballad that is cut short for no reason other than Lipa and company were apparently having so much fun in the studio.

• The zenith of Radical Optimism is “These Walls,” a smooth and melodic breakup number that sort of mimics the sonics of Kendrick Lamar’s great tune of the same name.

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