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Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
@jeremydwilliams
4:00 AM 19th January 2022
arts

Album Review; Night Call Years & Years

 
Night Call Years & Years
4 Stars


Deluxe Edition Tracklist: Consequences; Starstuck; Night Call; Intimacy; Crave; Sweet Talker (with Galantis); Sooner or Later; 20 Minutes; Strange and Unusual; Make It Out Alive; See You Again; Immaculate; Muscle; Reflection; A Second to Midnight (with Kylie Minogue); Starstuck (Kylie Minogue Remix)


Olly Alexander was, without any hesitation, one of 2021's most celebrated talents. While he already boasted a pretty sizeable fanbase for his work as part of the trio Years & Years, with a slight diversification in audience via his impressive documentary Growing Up Gay, it was 2021 that really put him fully on the mainstream map under his own name. No longer the frontman of Years & Years, Olly is Years & Years. Not just that, but he received widespread acclaim for his role as Ritchie in the series It's A Sin and further established a place in the homes of his audience via an appearance on Celebrity Gogglebox.

With 2021 having seen the release of two Kylie collaborations, a Sir Elton John hook-up and a feature on Lady Gaga's Born This Way Tenth Anniversary release, it is fair to say that the world is ready and waiting to see what Years & Years - the solo project - sounds like.

For fans of Communion and Palo Santo, Night Call still has plenty to offer. While Emre Turkmen and Mikey Goldsworthy may have left the band, the impact of their input is still present within Olly Alexander's creative output. This may be a solo project, but it is a strong continuation of the project to date. This may be the reason Olly decided to continue under the band alias as opposed to release material under his own name.

However, this is not just a Years & Years album as was. While the two prior records did have similar features, this record plays more on the poppier, dancier edge that seems best aligned with Olly's stage persona. This is an album jam-packed with radio friendly bops that are
designed to make you move.

Having teased the release with three singles (Starstruck, Crave and Sweet Talker), it is already very apparent what to expect from the album. Opening with the epic Consequences, it is clear that while Olly intends to make you move, he also wants to make you think. With striking lyrics underlying the hypnotics beats, this an album that has great depth to accompany it's addictive sound.

Although the aforementioned singles are key moments from the release, they are joined by notable highlights Sooner or Later and Intimacy.

That being said, this is a collection that boasts potential single status for each of the tracks, but that is best consumed as a body whole.

On a side note, we recommend a purchase of the deluxe edition in order to enjoy both Kylie collaborations and the epic Muscle.