Pop auteur Charli XCX kicks off a self-described “new chapter” in her career with “Good Ones,” produced by Max Martin cohort Oscar Holter, who manned the boards on the Weeknd’s monster hit “Blinding Lights” and recent “Take My Breath.” Like those tracks, “Good Ones” is driven by a deep, ’80s-indebted synth line and midtempo kick drum.
Clocking in at an economical two minutes and 16 seconds, the single showcases Charli’s ear for indelible pop hooks. It also largely eschews the lo-fi vocal effects of last year’s How I’m Feeling Now (one of Slant’s best albums of 2020), with sultry, full-throated verses juxtaposed with a buoyant falsetto chorus.
The British singer describes the music video for “Good Ones,” which was filmed in Mexico and co-directed by Hannah Lux Davis, as “twisted, dramatic, and quite frankly electrifying.” Indeed, the clip features big hair, burning bibles, and copious choreography.
Watch below:
This month, Charli launched a BBC podcast Charli XCX’s Best Song Ever, where she talks to friends and guests from around the world to discover the music that’s helped shape their lives.
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