Charli XCX’s new album, “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat”, is the sonic embodiment of 2024’s ‘brat summer’ — chaotic, euphoric and unabashedly experimental. With this project, Charli doesn’t just revisit the iconic original “Brat” album, she rips it apart and reconstructs it into something even more daring. The remixes pull from a broad palette of genres, infusing the tracks with deep house, hyperpop, ambient balladry and gritty electro. “Brat and it’s completely different” creates a wild ride of sounds that feels both nostalgic and forward-thinking. The new album includes a reworked version of nearly every “Brat” song — save for “Hello goodbye” and “Spring breakers” — all accompanied with a feature or two from a dizzying array of notable artists.
“Brat and it’s completely different” demands a listener’s attention from the very first track. Charli’s not afraid to get messy — flooding her remixed tracks with experimental production, unexpected features and erratic energy. Where the original album flirted with pop conventions, the remixes dive headfirst into sonic chaos. The various collaborators –– including Robyn, BB trickz and Addison Rae –– all bring their own twists, turning Charli’s songs into high-octane club anthems, rave-ready bangers or eerie, stripped-down ballads. While it could have been a risky move, I believe the features elevate the album, as each person aids in creating a fresh collection of standout tracks.
The collection of “Brat” remixes thrives in its extremes. Tracks like “Club classics featuring bb trickz” present relentless beats and distorted vocals, while others like the reimagined “I Might Say Something Stupid” slow things down, replacing bratty synths with haunting piano and echoey choirs. The result is a record that moves between moments of pure exhilaration and reflective melancholy, never letting you settle into one mood for too long. I even found the “Club Classics” remix more exciting than the original, though it’s almost impossible to compare them; while they share the same core energy, the remix feels like a complete reinvention, Another solid fan favorite is Charli’s “Talk talk” remix featuring Troye Sivan –– although I’ve heard short clips of the track across nearly every social media platform in recent weeks, , “Talk talk” in its entirety is still just as addictive and energizing.
Charli XCX’s latest album isn’t just a remix project, it’s a statement about the future of pop music. It’s chaotic, imperfect and sometimes overwhelming, but it’s also thrilling, magnetic and undeniably fun. Charli’s music has the wild, carefree energy of recession pop, but with a dark house twist. Honestly, she might be the one to bring a bratty version of recession pop roaring back for the latter half of the 2020s. For fans and newcomers alike, “Brat and it’s completely different” is a testament to Charli’s ability to disrupt and redefine the boundaries of pop music — taking listeners on an unapologetic, remixed journey which never loses its bratty, rebellious heart.
Contact the editors responsible for this story: Ivy Buck, Norah Catlin
