Remi Wolf - "Big Ideas" (2024)

Another one of the pop girls I was listening to last summer was Remi Wolf. Specifically this, her sophomore record, Big Ideas. And if one word sums up this album, it is summer. I remember discovering Remi through the lead single for the record, Cinderella, being on rotation on Radio 1 last spring while I was driving to and from site for my previous job that at that point I knew I was leaving. The loose and fun synth funk groove of the song was a perfect match for the sunny drives though the Suffolk countryside and the summer of freedom I was looking forward to. Remi's charismatic vocal delivery and the quirky horns and whistles make it the perfect summer party vibe.

Cinderella opens up the record and is followed by the other three singles, Soup, Motorcycle and Toro. Soup is a silky, reverb drenched nu-disco tune that once again shows of Remi's powerful vocal chops. Motorcycle is a stripped back, soulful slow jam where Remi's vocals effortlessly glide across the gentle guitar licks and twinkling keys. This leads into Toro, a raucous and explosive release of energy. Remi wails about an intense and chaotic sexual encounter, comparing the experience to a matador facing up against a bull, backed up by a chunky funk groove and the same goofy sound effects from Cinderella (this time a motorbike revving up). If Cinderella is the start of a summer house party, fizzling with anticipation and good vibes; Toro is the party in full swing where everybody is getting a little too drunk and the impulsive decisions start to commence.

As you can probably tell from the first four songs, Big Ideas is bursting with variety. There's jangly indie rock on Cherries & Cream and Frog Rock; escapist dance pop on Kangeroo; and a full on power ballad in Alone in Miami. I will say that the broad scope of the record means that there isn't as much attention to detail put into the rest of the songs when compared to the singles, but they mostly pass the bar at being fun quirky pop tracks. The only real moments on the record that I'm not really vibing with are the blown out alt pop / pop rock songs, Wave and When I Thought Of You. I'm not the biggest fan of that style anyway and I feel like these tracks are a lot more drab and colourless than the rest of the album.

Despite the whole thing not necessarily being the most mind blowing or revolutionary pop album, the ecstatic energy and sheer charisma on display on Big Ideas kept me coming back to it all summer last year, and I've continued to play it every so often in the months since when I want to gaslight myself and pretend UK winters don't suck and its not actually like 2 degrees outside. The singles are also genuinely really great pop songs too.

Top Tracks: Cinderella, Soup, Motorcycle, Toro, Cherries & Cream, Kangaroo

7/10