Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia (Warner Music)

During these strange times you need something to lift your spirits. Thankfully Dua Lipa has timed the release of her second album brilliantly. The title of the album gives away the sound to expect with pop, disco, 80's pop and 90's House music all strong influences. The mood throughout is so upbeat that it is hard not to be drawn into this intoxicating mix.

When every other female singer at the moment, bar a few who you could count on one hand, sounds exactly the same, when you hear a Dua Lipa song you instantly know who it is. Her distinctive sound and personality have not been crushed by an auto tuned production machine, although there are many cooks involved in this tasty meal.

What has always made her songs stand out is the melodies which have not been overlooked here. The title track of the album puts things firmly into gear, a funky pop number that has elements of the group Cameo.

When Olivia Newton John sang Physical in 1981 it was all leg warmers and headbands, when Lipa sings a completely new song with the same title in 2020 it still might have a 1980's synth line, but the energy and rush is far more muscular.

You might already know Don't Start Now, the track has been a hit single whilst the track that follows Cool is probably the weakest one on the album - it sounds like it was written for Katy Perry and stands out as being the only slow song on the album that is otherwise an exercise in how to create the perfect pop album.

Levitating is the type of track Sheffield's Elliot Kennedy used to write the Spice Girls or even S Club 7. A pop nugget with a hook that refuses to let go. Hallucinate though gives a nod to Lady GaGa. It is interesting to note that the majority of the songwriters on the album are all under 30 years old which gives a youthful feel throughout even though the majority of the time the sound looks back over pop music's better years.

Break My Heart borrows the riff from the INXS hit Need You Tonight which seems a bit of a cop out when there are enough writers involved who could have come up with something more original.

She wraps things up with Boys Will Be Boys with a lyric that will resonate with her female fans as she sings "boys will be boys but girls will be women" she sounds in control on a song that stamps its mark.

It is early days yet but this is, so far the best pop album I've heard this year. In years to come people will look back at this album and admit that it really did establish her as a worldwide phenomenon.

I rate the album 4 out of 5.

6th January 2021 - M&S Arena - Liverpool
21st January 2021 - Manchester Arena
22nd January 2021 - First Direct Arena - Leeds

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