With Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat, Charli XCX created an entirely new standard for deluxe albums.
Not one for ambiguous titles, XCX released the accurately-named compilation on Oct. 14. This remixed version of the massively popular release BRAT features 19 different artists’ reworkings of the album’s hits.
If that sounds like a massive number of guest singers, it’s because it is. With every song including at least one new artist, the 17-track album is packed with talented voices.
XCX’s approach to her release is unconventional. A typical deluxe album simply adds three to four mediocre, unheard-before tracks and possibly a remixed version of the album’s most popular song. XCX, however, completely shattered this norm, creating a whole new standard to live up to.
On the album, some of the tracks bear much resemblance to their originals. For example, “Talk talk featuring troye sivan” and “Guess featuring billie eilish” both largely retain their initial structures. However, these featured artists make the songs feel more complete. Adding catchy verses and bringing extra energy, the original versions of the tracks pale in comparison to the remixes.
For other songs, complete reworkings were created with little similarity to their originals. Essentially, XCX and her fellow musicians created virtually new tracks, making it so multiple of the songs are difficult to match with their originals. For example, “I might say something stupid featuring the 1975 & jon hopkins” is only slightly kindred to its precursor. The first verse is a slowed version of the original song, and the following two verses are entirely unique.
As these artists reworked XCX’s songs, they essentially used the template XCX gave them to craft entirely new creations. The musicians turned XCX’s hits into songs that matched their signature styles, fitting the tracks within their own discographies. Because of this, the album feels less like BRAT and more like an irreproducible compilation from a variety of indie and pop’s most skilled.
Because of this range of artists, every track is exquisite and distinctive. This makes it difficult to pinpoint a favorite—or least favorite—track, for the options are almost incomparable.
However, regardless of favoritism, “Girl, so confusing featuring lorde” easily wins the prize for most monumental track.
In the original version, XCX sings about a confusing half-rivalry, half-friendship she has with another woman in the music industry. On the remixed track, audiences’ suspicions surrounding the elusive figure’s identity are confirmed, as the song features New Zealander and alt-pop singer Lorde.
In the release, Lorde adds her own thoughts and commentary to XCX’s musings. Lorde takes the second verse and addresses how she feels about the complicated relationship she has with her parallel. Feeling like she was misrepresented on the original track, Lorde offered to remix the song to tell her side of the story.
Lorde’s verse of pure lyrical and musical gold is fast-paced, yet one of the most candid of the album. In it, the musician shows how she and XCX have similar apprehensions. Lorde sings lines like, “You’d always say, ‘Let’s go out’ / But then I’d cancel last minute / I was so lost in my head / And scared to be in your pictures.” This serves as a response to XCX’s verse, showing that Lorde’s behavior is attributed to her own insecurities—not caused by XCX’s actions.
Further, Lorde’s lyrics include the lines, “I was trapped in the hatred / And your life seemed so awesome / I never thought for a second / My voice was in your head.” Through this, Lorde admits to comparing herself to XCX and her glamorous life. However, she finishes the verse by adding how she forgets that, while XCX is a pop icon, inside, she is still a young girl from Essex.
Following Lorde’s verse, the two sing the last parts of the song in tandem, audibly showing how they are “working it out on the remix.” The track ends with XCX speaking, “You know I ride for you, too,” replying to Lorde’s earlier statement of same affirmation to XCX.
Obviously, this song is monumental for two of the industry’s most talented electropop stars. But, the message of the song is universal: it can be applied to many relationships between women who are unnecessarily pitted against each other.
Through “So I featuring a.g. cook,” XCX further expands on the history between her and her late friend, SOPHIE. With the original track being more pop-based, the remix is slower, focusing on drawn-out verses over the chorus. Additionally, the intro to the song is sampled from a previous track XCX and Cook have worked on together, “party 4 u.”
Choosing Cook for this particular track was purposeful, as the British producer was a close collaborator with SOPHIE like XCX was. Because of this, the track is vulnerable and emotional and details the meetings and good times the artists had together.
The bridge and outro of the song feature samples from tracks by XCX, SOPHIE, and Cook, making it a unique union of the three artists. In these parts, the lines, “Now I wanna think about all the good,” are repeated to a slow, electronic beat. Through this portion, it’s shown how the artists can positively reflect on their shared past with SOPHIE while simultaneously mourning the loss of their friend.
Another example of XCX deliberately choosing well-matched artists to feature is “Everything is romantic featuring caroline polachek”. In the song, Polachek brings her distinct style of alt-pop, perfectly enhancing the track. Consequently, it sounds as if it would fit perfectly on Polachek’s most recent album, Desire I Want To Turn Into You.
While XCX’s solo version of the song paints a picture of the Mediterranean region, Polachek’s remix depicts the scenery of fall in East London. In both of the tracks, the artists emphasize how romantic the everyday things in their lives can be. In this way, the songs offer a sense of optimism, showing that beauty is all around, even in seemingly mundane situations.
In each of the tracks on the deluxe album, the featured artists use their personal specialties to build onto the foundations of XCX’s tracks. While many of the artists—such as Bon Iver and Shygirl—are on virtually opposite sides of the music industry, their voices are all irreplaceable elements of the album.
On this reworked piece, XCX and fellow artists dismantled BRAT until it had only its rudimentary elements. From there, they created an even more iconic piece of art full of the styles and experiences of many different musical masterminds.
