‘Radical Optimism’ by Dua Lipa Review: Over-Polished Pop
In any ranking of the best pop albums of the decade so far, Dua Lipa’s second LP, 2020’s “Future Nostalgia,” is in the conversation. Some of its initial impact had to do with timing. The English singer’s record came out in March 2020, right as Covid-19 lockdowns were beginning, and its effortlessly catchy and effervescent dance music was the perfect escape at the moment when we needed it the most. There were other great pop records that year—Lada Gaga’s underrated “Chromatica” and Taylor Swift’s gear-shift “Folklore”—and plenty since, but none have been quite as joyous and endlessly replayable as Ms. Lipa’s offering. And the manner in which it brought classic disco into a contemporary context proved highly influential.
“Future Nostalgia” was in fact so successful—it won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album and is one of the most-played records in the history of streaming— that its promotional cycle seemed to stretch on forever. A remix album followed in 2020 and an expanded edition in 2021, and her tour for the LP didn’t kick off until 2022. After all that, the long-awaited follow-up, “Radical Optimism” (Warner), finally arrived last week.
From the opening “End of an Era,” this is an album with a different vibe from its predecessor, though there are surface-level similarities. It’s a crisp and uptempo track driven by a 4/4 beat and—new to this record and prominent throughout—a strummed guitar. The groove brings to mind sunshine and open spaces, as opposed to the clubby fantasy world of “Future Nostalgia,” and like most of the tracks here, it’s about celebrating life and feeling good.
Among Ms. Lipa’s collaborators here are Andrew Wyatt, who has worked with Lorde and Miley Cyrus, and Kevin Parker of the psych-rock band Tame Impala. Both are known for mixing rock textures into dance music, and presumably they had something to do with this album’s guitar-driven sound. But this stylistic shift is more a matter of tone than a major genre overhaul—the guitar is purely a rhythm instrument here, and often it gives the music a subtle Latin underpinning. On “Training Season,” the cleanly plucked guitar is paired with a beat that has a certain amount of swing but never feels like a command to move, while “These Walls” has a squirming guitar melody snaking through it that’s especially memorable.
This is dance-pop at the highest level of craft, with every instrument sliding in or out of the mix at a moment designed for maximum impact. But there’s something a bit overworked about the album, where the high polish smothers any sense of joy or spontaneity. As the record wears on, the songs begin to seem monochromatic and the unflagging professionalism becomes oppressive. The fifth track, “Whatcha Doing,” has a sparkling arrangement but lacks a sense of urgency that would make it stand out.
Given the standing of this album’s predecessor, comparisons are inevitable. “Future Nostalgia” had a bit more humor and seemed comfortable with moments of charming awkwardness here and there, such as when Ms. Lipa would half-rap a verse. Here, nothing is left to chance, there’s no clumsiness—musically, at least. Some lyrics are a little ungainly, glancing at common phrases or reference points—“Training season’s over” or “Catch me or I go Houdini”—signifying nothing in particular. But even these are lacking in personality.
Ms. Lipa stretches herself vocally at points on “Radical Optimism,” inhabiting soaring choruses in songs like “Falling Forever” with new gusto. But these attempts at a diva register actually make her sound generic, like just another pop singer. And a couple of songs in the album’s middle section, “French Exit” and “Illusion,” just aren’t memorable, with dull chord progressions and formulaic refrains. On a tightly sequenced record that took so long to make and has so much industry firepower behind it, such a weak stretch is hard to overlook.
“Radical Optimism” isn’t terrible, but it suffers from a lack of ambition. It’s certainly breezy, always listenable, but ultimately more of a soundtrack for cocktails on the deck of a boat than an immersive score for an unforgettable night. Background music certainly has its place, but it was hard not to expect more after the unifying triumph of “Future Nostalgia.” Ms. Lipa once seemed ready to take over the world; now she seems content to become a pleasant part of a party’s atmosphere. Still, we should remember that this may be merely the first permutation of these songs. Perhaps after the remixes and guest verses pile up, a more exciting presentation of this collection will emerge.
Mr. Richardson is the Journal’s rock and pop music critic. Follow him on X @MarkRichardson.