After a three-year break between albums, the longest of his solo career, singer-songwriter Harry Styles is back in the spotlight with his fourth solo album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, which was released on Friday, March 6. 

Coming off a 22-month tour, Styles said in a recent interview with Apple Music’s creative director and head of global relations, Zane Lowe, that while on his break, he wanted to take a step back and observe his career from a new standpoint and examine his passion for singing. 

Following the hiatus of the well-beloved boy band in August of 2015, One Direction, the British singer has released three solo albums: Harry Styles, Fine Line and Harry’s House. While all three projects are impressive works in themselves, primarily following a traditional pop approach, this time, the artist is taking a different stylistic approach. On this new record, he is leaning into pop-synth, a genre that uses synthesizers, drum machines and sequences to produce danceable beats, making the stage his dance floor.

Ever since his previous album, Harry’s House, won Album of the Year at the 2023 Grammys, one of the most anticipated accolades of the music award season, fans had expectations for the singer’s next move.  

As the lead single, released on Thursday, Jan. 22, the first track on the album, “Aperture,” is a bright start to a well-executed record. Released simultaneously with a music video depicting Styles running away from, fighting and eventually dancing with a mysterious man, the song is high-energy and hypnotic, repeating one of the album’s mottos, “We belong together,” throughout the refrain. 

On a more sentimental note, track 8, “Coming Up Roses,” and track 11, “Paint By Numbers,” showcase a new side of the project, focusing on the emotional lyricism he’s exhibited on past tracks, like “Cherry,” from his sophomore album and “From the Dining Table,” featured as a closing track on his self-titled record. All four songs exhibit a raw and unfiltered emotional side of the songwriter, leaving listeners in a trance of emotion and reflection. 

When talking to Zane Lowe, Styles said “Coming Up Roses”, a song about how something does not have to last forever to be special, was one of his favorite creations. The tune was made in collaboration with Grammy-winning producer, songwriter and DJ Fred Again, who leaked a snippet during his London shows on Thursday, Feb 26, a few weeks before the album’s official release. 

Deeper within the project, track 10, “Dance No More,” fully embodies the project’s new dance aesthetic, blending a catchy bass riff with Harry’s captivating vocals and a snappy chorus repeating, “DJs don’t dance no more,” seemingly stressing his desire to bring back music people can dance to in social settings.

Likewise, in the same interview, Styles said “Paint By Numbers” was one of the first songs made for the album. Although it could have stood alone outside the record, he felt it necessary to release something that gave a glimpse into his life as an “ordinary person.” He sings “It’s a little bit complicated when they put an image in your head, and now you’re stuck with it,” most likely alluding to the pressures of stardom. 

Towards the end of the album, “Pop,” despite retaining a similar vibe to some of his past songs like “Cinema,” didn’t seem to stand out in the same capacity as other tunes on the project. With an appealing baseline and a strong first few seconds, the chorus doesn’t drag listeners in the same sense. 

Nevertheless, Styles successfully produced another beautiful album, filled with moments for everyone, containing everything from dance music to heartfelt ballads. 

One of the pop genre’s most esteemed singers is triumphantly reminding everyone: dance music never went out of style.