By Ryan Gee
Photo: Special Offer, Inc.
With the release of Charli xcx’s “Brat” back in June, there is now a third release in the “Brat” universe. The release of “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat” consists of a whole new look on how an artist should be doing a remix album. The album feels like the end of a rave; it’s the music you listen to in the taxi on your way home, slowly realizing that you have to go back to your real life after a night on the town, and the feeling of a fun yet stalled existence.
Most of the tracks have been reworked almost all the way through to fit the collaborator but still manages to keep the original song’s meaning or goes far enough to add a double meaning.
“360 featuring robyn & yung lean”
With the release of “360 featuring robyn & yung lean,” you’re probably wondering who even are these people? Robyn Carlsson and Yung Lean are both Swedish singers, writers and producers. This track specifically gives a Y2K vibe with the lyrics, “I started so young; I didn’t even have email. Now my lyrics on your booby.”
“Club classics featuring bb trickz”
An amazing dance track that really takes the essence of both the original “365” and “Club classics.” BB Trickz adds a verse that is only spoken in Spanish, but will definitely be learned by everyone in just a couple of days with how catchy it is. Some lyrics that stand out in this track specifically come from the collaborators verse, “Bb xcx es un clásico automático, Brr-brr, fashion killa', aunque el outfit sea básico.”
“Sympathy is a knife featuring ariana grande”
Probably one of the most anticipated collabs of this album release was “Sympathy is a knife featuring ariana grande.” The track is completely reworked but has the same essence of the original track. The rework goes into the expectations of being a popstar and how when you suddenly hit a certain high, people expect to see you fall. Ariana Grande is a great fit for this song, especially this version about how journalists can twist absolutely anything to fit their own perspective.
“I might say something stupid featuring the 1975 and jon hopkins”
As a fan of the original track, I didn’t think it could get any sadder. Well, I was completely wrong. The song feels like an interlude in the best way possible before “Talk talk featuring troye sivan” starts. This collaboration dives into rotting in your home, rethinking everything you ever said to someone and blaming it on the drugs one takes instead of their actual self. Now, I’m not in the slightest a The 1975 fan, so I had no idea what to expect, but it’s genuinely one I have to skip in order to not cry with how much it just hits you in the feels.
“Talk talk featuring troye sivan”
“Talk talk” is one of the tracks that when it was released, I replayed it over and over. Now with the release of the rest of the album, I think it fits well with the second half even if it isn’t a track I would necessarily play on its own (just due to how many times I listened when it was released.) The added vocals by Dua Lipa are a chef’s kiss though!
“Von dutch a.g. cook remix featuring addison rae”
“Von dutch a.g. cook remix featuring addison rae” works so well. Rae’s scream after the second verse makes the song even better, especially referring back to the previous lyrics, “You just wanna scream my name.” This song really is the epitome of how people can go from loving you in public, but in private, the person talks badly about the other. A.G. Cook is also known for his PC music and you can hear that so well in this remix, especially in the parts where it sounds like someone is just pushing buttons.
“Everything is romantic featuring caroline polachek”
As a huge fan of Caroline Polachek, hearing she was on this song I knew would instantly make it to be a fall classic. The first couple of seconds instantly set the mood and describe a whole different setting than in the original track. I’m stunned by what Charli and Caroline did in this track. It’s the perfect autumn vibe while walking around on campus.
“Rewind featuring bladee”
“Rewind” isn’t a song I lean towards when listening to the regular album, but this remix might just change that for me. Something about the mixed vocals between Charli and Bladee just does something to my brain. Not just that, but the song itself being reworked adds this almost climax section at the end that does something visceral to my brain chemistry. This is personally one of my favorites on the album.
“So I featuring a.g cook”
“So I featuring a.g cook” is one of the longest songs on the album and is dedicated to Sophie Xeon, one of Charli’s best friends and collaborators who passed away back in 2021. The original version of the song is reminiscing on the sadder times of their friendship. The remixed version focuses more on the good times throughout them being friends.
“Girl, so confusing featuring lorde”
Lorde’s verse in this version really delves into body image and hating yourself to the point of closing others out. In fact, when Charli reached out to Lorde, she was the first person to propose the idea of doing a feature. It really brings the whole idea of you never truly know what someone is going through behind the scenes, which turns the club track into something so much more.
“Apple featuring the japanese house”
This one HURTS. The Japanese House being on this track really adds to the original meaning of the song, which is about generational trauma and the relationship with your parents. There’s not really much to say about this track because it can mean different things for different people. A lyric that stands out is at the end, “Sometimes when I go home, it doesn't feel like home /
Don't know if you can hear me, inside this conversation.”
“B2b featuring tinashe”
Everyone wants some of Tinashe and Charli’s nachos?! And by that, I mean this is literally their year and everyone has been hot on their tails trying to chase the same fame they’ve had. I also like the little touch that Charli throws in the song about how they’ve both had successful songs in the same year in the past and now here they are doing it again. I personally love Tinashe’s music, so when I heard she was going to be on the album I knew whatever song she was featured on was going to go platinum in my house.
“Mean girls featuring julian casablancas”
Now, I am a fan of the original track, but when it comes to listening to this track, I find myself skipping it more than actually listening. I think it’s an alright rework of the original, but I don’t know what’s going on as soon as Julian Casablancas starts speaking. Maybe it’s a grower, but it’s almost been a week since the release and I still can’t decipher what’s going on.
“I think about it all the time featuring bon iver”
Do you ever get the feeling that you’re losing time? Yeah, me too! When it was first announced that Bon Iver was on this track, I was a bit taken aback because I didn’t see it fitting well. But now that it is out in the world, I really appreciate the vulnerableness we see from him and Charli. This is also a song you would probably put in your “sad autumn playlist.” Some of the lyrics that really stick out are “But there’s so much guilt involved when we stop working / ‘Cause you’re not supposed to stop when things start working.”
“365 featuring shygirl”
First teased in the Boiler Room sessions, fans on social media were begging for Charli to put it on the remix album and here it is. The song really embraces the hyperpop sound and club genre Charli has used in the past and on this record. However, I wish it was longer, but that just gives me more of a reason to hit the replay button over and over.
“Guess featuring billie eilish”
“Guess featuring billie eilish” was also a surprise to me. It was accompanied by its music video, and honestly, it’s everything you could imagine. There was some online hate about how it sounds like Billie is whispering or her voice doesn’t match the song, but I think the remixes in general are supposed to highlight what the collaborator does well, so I don’t see a problem with it.
“Spring breakers featuring kesha”
And actually, while writing this, Charli released the remix version of “Spring breakers” with Kesha on the track. I think this just proves Charli does her own thing on her own time and could drop any kind of content around this album anytime she wants.
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