The singer’s third album is filled with strong emotion and retro vibes that make it an intriguing album to listen to.
Billie Eilish’s distinctive musical style is still very much on display for her latest album. The songs here are filled with restraint musically, with hints folksy whimsical nature as heard on the gorgeously refined and slightly playful ‘Birds of a Feather’ and ‘Wildflower’ which has wonderful storytelling at the centre of it.
Because the music is so refined and understated, it allows the lyrics to take centre stage with Eilish’s wistful and heartfelt vocals that draw the listener in emotionally – as heard on ‘Skinny’. This song lyrically has a deep sadness to it that is relatable to anyone who has felt as though they have lost part of themselves along the way.
Elsewhere, ‘Lunch’ offers a quirky playfulness and confidence as it also has unashamedly sexual connotations that makes the listener sit up and pay attention. While it would be easy to go overboard in terms of the synth-pop vibes, while the singer pushes boundaries it never feels over the top and manages to keep the listener invested in the stories and messages being uncovered through each song.
There is equally a lot of soul to be found, given a modern perspective – as can be heard on ‘ The Greatest’ which soars in all the right places as the song explores unrequited love and self-love and appreciation. Again, it is a relatable song that really gets to the heart of the subject matter – a lot of feeling and thought has gone into the creation of this song and many of the others on the album.
None of the songs outstay their welcome, each one taking the listener on a different musical journey, particularly evidenced towards the end of the album with songs ‘Bittersuite’ and ‘Blue’ that bring the album full circle in a pleasing way.
There is a real maturity to the way in which these songs have been created, each one with a strong individual identity – as heard on ‘L’Amour De Ma Vie’ a mature and sophisticated song that is filled with brutal honesty and ‘The Diner’ which offers a chilling perspective of a stalker. The whole album covers a huge range of topics and therefore feels deeply personal.
Overall, Hit Me Hard and Soft is a well put together album that you will want to listen to over and over again to continue to get a deeper sense of the meaning behind the songs. It is an album that is captivating from beginning to end.
By Emma Clarendon
Hit Me Hard and Soft is available to buy now.