Albums: Olly Alexander Polari

Olly Alexander Polari

Tracks: Polari; Cupid's Bow; I Know; Shadow of Love; Make Me A Man; Dizzy; Archangel; Miss You So Much; When We Kiss; Whisper In The Waves; Beautiful; Heal You; Language

Label: Universal

Olly Alexander has had a rather bumpy start to his solo career. Although the former Years & Years frontman essentially started his solo outing with the band's third studio album, Night Call, which hit the #1 spot back in 2022, he relaunched himself under his own name last year with his appearance at the Eurovision Song Contest. While there was applause in the immediate confirmation of his appearance, his single Dizzy received a lukewarm response on his home turf and proved equally lacklustre for the Eurovision audiences, whose voting saw him end in 18th place. However, Alexander has continued unperturbed in the build-up to the release of his new album, Polari.

With each subsequent single having proved a little more popular with audiences, the arrival of Polari proves that Dizzy was just a blip, and perhaps an undeserved one. The staging proved unimpressive on the night and left his time-and-again-proven vocals pitchy, but the song itself in the context of the album is re-highlighted as a credible, enjoyable slice of Troye Sivan-leaning pop. The sound, when combined with Charli XCX's more recent output, defines the album as a cohesive whole.

Alexander has a voice that is immediately recognisable and though there are not the truly tender moments that created the sense of balance between bop and heart on Years & Years releases, there is no denying that Polari is a lyrically sound and sonically enjoyable listen.

Taking its lead from the dancefloor, this is a solid collection of shoulder and booty shakers that will definitely land well with his loyal fanbase. However, there are a few key moments that should translate to wider dancefloor acclaim, particularly the epic Miss You So Much.

Polari is a stronger record than people may have anticipated within the buildup, but without a strong single focus, it may not land fully with an audience that doesn't crave the full album experience.