Lorde - "Virgin" (2025)

Lorde's first two records really set the stage for the alt pop explosion of the late 2010s and early 2020s, with their stark and nocturnal synth pop instrumentation and Lorde's very raw and introspective lyrical content. While I personally am fairly ambivalent on the debut, I think Melodrama is a fantastic record that has really aged well. Lorde decided then to completely pivot her sound on 2021's Solar Power, to this throwback early 00s 'beachy' folk pop style with a hint of 90's alt dance / Madchester influence thrown in as well. I get what the record was trying to do, essentially being the antidote to Melodrama. Melodrama was, as the name suggests, about the Melodrama of experiencing your late teenage years and early twenties while being thrust into the limelight; whereas Solar Power was all about healing from that. However, it didn't sound summery and 'beachy' and relaxing; it sounded washed out, drab and lifeless. I hadn't re-listened to it since its release until I was going through Lorde's entire discography when Virgin was released a couple of month back; and I found it just as boring and aimless as I did in 2021.

The record was critically panned and didn't really connect with the fanbase as well, which left me wondering where Lorde would go next. Four years later, the release of Virgin's lead single What Was That gave us an answer. She's playing it safe and going back to the sounds and ideas that everyone loved on Melodrama. I'm being flippant saying What Was That is just Melodrama again, as it's more like Melodrama but more. The synths and grizzled and blaring, and the lyrics (once again revolving around that early 20s party lifestyle) are more blatant and explicit. It's not a particularly bad song, but as Lorde's big comeback it feels particularly underwhelming.

Virgin as a whole feels like Lorde trying to make Melodrama again but at the age she is now. Musically, some tracks follow on from What Was That, being a slightly edgier and more experimental interpretation of the alt pop style she perfected on Melodrama. Whereas others go for a more reserved and 'mature' take on that sound. Lyrically, she is framing the chaos and internal turbulence that characterises her 2010s work through the lens of things that you only really start thinking about as you approach your mid-to-late twenties. On the record, Lorde explores her gender identity, her relationship with her parents and the power dynamics within previous relationships - topics that don't get more than a passing thought in a nightclub at 19.

The other two singles fair a little better than What Was That. Man Of The Year is a slow-burning ballad that slowly fills out with clattering percussion that by the end of the track completely overwhelms the mix. The lyrics detailing how Lorde feels like she just doesn't fit into gender norms are also more engaging than the rehashed hot-mess party girl themes of What Was That. The opener, Hammer, also explores these themes and is definitely my favourite on the record. The warbling electronics and rising synth lines all build to a climax that recalls the cathartic release that Lorde does so well on songs like Green Light and Ribs. Favourite Daughter is also an album highlight for me, with a danceable groove and a memorable hook. Again it explores an interesting topic, as Lorde delves into her relationship with her mother and her desire to please her and how she never felt good enough.

Unfortunately, as the middle of the album approaches, it kind of just drops off the map. The tracks meander about with little in the way of a memorable hook or interesting instrumental. The synths feel very muted and turned down, and Lorde really struggles to command much presence with her vocals. The whole stretch of the record from Current Affairs to GRWM feels so drab and greyscale. The record does pick up a bit towards the end, with some more uptempo tunes that have a bit more of a danceable beat. You definitely can hear the influence of BRAT on these songs (Lorde has been pretty vocal about how working with Charli XCX on the Girl, So Confusing remix helped her escape from a years long creative flunk). However, these songs are still dressed up in the very moody and muted pallet of the rest of the record, so go nowhere near as hard and are not as nearly impactful as I would like them to be.

The album does close on a high point, the very raw and uncompromising Ballad, David. The song is framed as a takedown of a previous lover who abused a position of power; however has a subtext that this 'lover' is not necessarily a person, but a reflection of Lorde's relationship with herself, the industry and her fans. Lorde's vocals take centre stage, and the washed out, muted synths take a backseat which makes it one of the most impactful songs on the record.

Virgin has some interesting ideas, but they don't really come together into a cohesive whole. And coupled with some weak hooks and a drab and lifeless instrumental palette, it makes it a bit of a slog of a listen. It's definitely better than Solar Power, but I think its rather forgettable when put next to her first two albums or the slew of great girl-pop we've had over the past couple of years.

Top Tracks: Hammer, Favourite Daughter, David

5/10