Harry Styles’ Third Album Harry’s House Is a Soul-Baring, Yet Groovy Confessional

His lyrics run the gamut from mysteriously allusive to emotionally raw, and in some of his best writing moments, they’re sexually bare in a way that’s only really been alluded to in his past work, which makes for some beautifully brash declarations of desire. These range from mild—“You pop when we get intimate” from “Cinema”—to openly raunchy—“Choke her with a sea view” from that eclectic list of a bridge in “Keep Driving”—but they’re not gratuitous and they serve their purpose, which is so clearly the purpose of every word he has written here: to illustrate the moment in a way that gives you the same feelings.

It’s also important to highlight the daring departures in production on this album, because the Harry’s House sound is, on the whole, different from what Styles has built his solo career on—you know, the raucous rock sound of “Kiwi,” the rager from his debut, or Fine Line’s sun-kissed California radio jams like “Golden” and “Watermelon Sugar.” A few of the tracks on Harry’s House have a rich, yet intimate art-folk sound that is kindred with the likes of Bon Iver—particularly “Little Freak” and “Matilda”—calling back to the title track of his second record, which drew comparisons to the musician’s 2011 track “Perth.” Those moments are in line with Styles’ past work, but the majority of the album has this hooky dance-pop sound that certainly pulls influence from similar stylings of the ’80s, and subsequently fits adjacent to the likes of A-ha or Pet Shop Boys. It’s a welcome new avenue for Styles to dance down, and he does the steps with seasoned ease. Like I said, he’s a musician for all seasons, and he’s starting to prove there isn’t much he can’t do.

Similarly to the experimentations in production—thanks to Styles’ regular collaborators Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson and Sammy Witte—it’s refreshing to also hear the singer trying new things vocally. Where he lightly tested out falsetto and soft-toned vocals on Fine Line, he’s come to rely on those stylings in Harry’s House, and they suit him, and this particular sound, quite well. It’s a tactic he uses far and wide on the album—the exploration of quieter, yet more confident stylings are on prominent display in “Satellite,” “Keep Driving,” “Little Freak” and “Daylight,” about a third of the album—and there are actually only a handful of songs where he doesn’t employ those dulcet tones. Styles also sparingly gave us some emotional, keening scream vocals on Fine Line in places where they would pack a punch; on this new record, he finds more and more opportunities to employ those, leaving us feeling his frustration, desire and introspection in the most primal way. It mostly shows up in the background of certain tracks—”Daydreaming,” in particular, has some fierce moments where Styles’ backing vocals transcend singing and become something more desperate and daring, something akin to a pop-funk-tinged mating call—but the power of his vocals is hard to miss. To put it plainly, he sounds in command of his voice on this record in a way that he hadn’t yet reached in his past two releases.

While truly every track on Harry’s House has something to admire and embrace, the ninth song, “Daydreaming,” is a standout for one simple reason: Styles uses a sample for the very first time. The musician—who, at this point, is known for keeping away from features or collaborations on his albums—repurposes a portion of The Brothers Johnson’s groovy 1978 song “Ain’t We Funkin’ Now,” and the result is very ‘70s and full of fun vibes, despite the lyrics alluding to a long time away from a lover whom you hope will give you “something to dream about.” The track is, along with “Sushi,” perhaps one of the most exciting—or at least dance-y—songs on the album, and it shows that the musician is also pretty good at finding the influential merit in the footsteps of what came before, among all his other talents. Sampling another song can, and does, go horribly wrong for some artists, but Styles’ vocals and narrative glide over the original track with ease and still leave room for him to reinvent The Brothers Johnson’s sound.

There’s a reflective element to the worlds Styles creates within his albums, something pure and genuine about how he looks critically at himself and acknowledges his shortcomings and faults. On this album, more than ever, it feels like he is asking himself, “How do I bring a better version of myself into the present?” At the same time, he’s also unafraid to be unabashed in his optimism, in spite of his past. This translates quite beautifully to his music, particularly through Styles’ thoughtful lyrics, standout vocals and effortless melodies. He keeps building an emotional repertoire of meaningful music, and Harry’s House is no different. In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Styles mentioned that this album is the one that feels most like himself—and it’s clear that he’s fully willing to let us into his sanctuary this time around, that he has completely let his guard down and is opening the front door for us with open arms.

Lex Briscuso is an entertainment, film and culture writer who eats, sleeps, and breathes exceptional horror, sweeping dramas, and top-notch acting. She is a news desk writer at /Film and has bylines at FANGORIA, The Guardian, Shudder’s The Bite and EUPHORIA. Her horror radio show, YOUR NICHE IS DEAD, is live Mondays 5 p.m. ET. She tweets @nikonamerica.