Harry Styles - Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally Review

A glossy, self-aware pop reinvention that swaps bubblegum hits for swagger, synths, and the occasional existential crisis on a Berlin dancefloor.

After a two-year break following the exhausting global success of Harry’s House and the marathon 22-month Love On Tour followed by a slightly more unexpected series of actual marathons, Harry Styles returns with Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally, his most confident and sonically adventurous record to date. Inspired by time spent drifting between the European cities of Berlin, Paris, and Rome, the album leans heavily into synth-driven pop whilst borrowing touches from indie, funk, and the sort of dancefloor catharsis that bands like LCD Soundsystem have long perfected.

It also delivers on its title with refreshing honesty. There is kissing. There is some disco. But, crucially, only occasionally. 

The “disco” influence doesn’t borrow the camp decadence of a hedonistic bacchanal at Studio 54, instead evoking a more late-night electro-pop club energy, like someone swaying in a packed and sweaty crowd beneath a cheap disco ball and strobe lighting. What the album lacks in pure disco indulgence, however, it makes up for with exhilarating production and some of the most playful pop songwriting of his career. Produced once again by longtime collaborators Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson, the record thrives on texture. Layered synths meet choir flourishes and shimmering backing vocals, many provided by Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell, creating a sense of scale that often elevates even the album’s lighter material. Lyrically, Styles turns inward more than ever before, circling themes of loneliness, fame, emotional avoidance, and the peculiar and slightly unique isolation of being one of the world’s most recognisable pop stars.

The album’s early singles are arguably its weakest moments. Lead single ‘Aperture’ does its job competently, ticking all the boxes required of a modern pop single. It’s anthemic and radio-friendly, though not exactly the sort of track destined to make pop historians nervous. With its “We belong together” refrain clearly designed for stadium sing-alongs, it makes for one of the safer tracks on the record. The strategy clearly worked in all fairness, with the track debuting at No.1 on both the UK Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100. ‘American Girls’ follows a similar formula, pairing upbeat production with pensive lyrics about watching friends fall into relationships whilst he remains emotionally adrift. It’s the musical equivalent of dancing through the pain, though perhaps not the obvious candidate for the album’s second single. It’s pleasant and slickly produced, but unlikely to become one of Styles’ career-defining hits.

Fortunately, the album is quick to find its groove. 

‘Ready, Steady, Go!’ is an immediate standout, built around a thwacking bassline and swaggering groove that recalls the rock-leaning confidence of Styles’ 2017 debut that many sorely missed, this time pushing it firmly onto the dancefloor. The flirtier and raunchier side of his musical persona, long suspected missing in action, is very much alive and well here. The chorus is enormous, the outro’s plonky piano riff delightfully chaotic, and the whole thing makes one question: why did no one on his team pull ‘American Girls’ as a single and replace it with this?

 ‘Are You Listening Yet?’ takes the fun up a notch with wry, almost spoken-word delivery and cheeky indie sensibilities straight out of past support act Wet Leg’s playbook, slowly but surely building toward a triumphant climax. The bridge, where guitars surge and the beat momentarily dissolves before crashing back in, is one of the album’s most thrilling production moments. ‘Taste Back’ follows, quickly snaps things into focus. There’s something satisfyingly old-school about it, a sleek track with just enough bite to avoid feeling overly polished. It’s the kind of pop song Styles could write in his sleep at this point, but thankfully, he still seems interested in doing it well.

‘The Waiting Game’ slows things down for a rare reflective interlude. Lyrically sharp, but occasionally devastating: “You can romanticise your shortcomings // write a ballad with the details while skimming off the top.” Positioned midway through the album’s otherwise dance-heavy run, it’s a track that pauses the party to acknowledge that pop stars are occasionally human too, and possibly very tired humans at that. 

‘Season 2 Weight Loss’ jolts the energy back up, both musically and conceptually. On paper, the title reads like a late-night TV fitness segment, but in Styles’ hands it’s a sly commentary on fame and reinvention. The track captures that exhilaration of returning stronger, literally and metaphorically, after a hiatus. The upbeat, layered production mirrors the lyrics’ narrative of self-empowerment, as if he’s celebrating his Season 2 glow-up whilst still acknowledging the absurdity of being scrutinised every step of the way. It’s cheeky, but surprisingly tender underneath all the disco-tinged synths and playful backing vocals.

The album’s emotional centre arrives with ‘Coming Up Roses’, a lush waltz that opens with orchestral strings warming up before dissolving into sweeping, romantic instrumentation. The repeated refrain “It’s only me and you” evokes longing and intimacy in the most subtle yet affecting way, and the delicate pizzicato strings and expansive arrangement make it the most musically beautiful moment on the record, capturing the anxious optimism of a relationship that might, just maybe, work out.

‘Pop’ shifts gears with head-banging drums recalling unreleased long-time fan favourite ‘Medicine’. The anxiety of new love pulses throughout: “Am I in over my head? // This could go anywhere,” yet the playful production keeps it joyful. The whimsical chorus and playful energy feel nostalgic yet fresh, a sonic callback to his debut’s rockier tracks like ‘Only Angel’ and ‘Kiwi’. ‘Dance No More’ keeps the fun going, flirting shamelessly with the funk and groove-infused pop sound favoured by bands like The 1975. The bridge “Get your feet wet // Respect, respect your mother” is absurd, ridiculous, and brilliant all at once. It’s a song about living in the moment, unapologetically, and it works.

‘Paint By Numbers,’ the softest track on the record, allows for reflection. “Oh what a gift it is to be noticed // but it’s nothing to do with me” captures the human cost of fame with tenderness and self-awareness. Some might argue it’s an odd tonal departure, but in context, it’s a necessary exhale before the triumphant closer.

Finally, ‘Carla’s Song’ ends the record on a euphoric high. With lyrical nods to Simon & Garfunkel (“There is a bridge that leads to troubled water // if you know, then you know”), expansive strings, and a repeated refrain of “I know what you like,” the song encapsulates the album’s journey, ending with the relief of finally feeling like you’ve found yourself. It’s a bright end to an album that carefully balances introspection with infectious fun.

Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally feels like a turning point. It’s more adventurous than Harry’s House, more cohesive than Fine Line, and significantly more confident than either. The record is not quite the glitter-ball disco fantasia some listeners might have expected, but its noteworthy production and emotional openness make it one of the most enjoyable pop releases of the year so far.

For an artist who once built his career on sugary, sun-soaked chart bait like ‘Watermelon Sugar’ and ‘As It Was’, the most refreshing thing about this album is how little it seems interested in chasing them. Instead, Styles sounds like someone finally comfortable making exactly the kind of pop record he wants. It’s a confident and occasionally ridiculous celebration, disco ball optional.