Single Review: Charli XCX – ‘Boom Clap’
1 min read
British singer-songwriter Charli XCX’s recent penetration of pop radio has been swift. It is her voice that dominates the iconic chorus on Icona Pop’s I Love It. She also steals the show from Iggy Azalea on Fancy- almost.
Boom Clap is Charli XCX’s first single following these two breakthrough singles. The track off the singer’s upcoming, untitled third album starts with a rather clunky ‘boom boom boom clap’, before giving way to ambient, reflective synth pop. The brief verses simmer effortlessly thanks to Charli XCX’s nonchalant vocals and a throbbing synth bass, so it is no wonder this is the first single from the soundtrack album of ‘The Fault in Our Stars’.
Charli XCX’s natural voice then ascends into quirky chipmunk territory (think Lana Del Rey and Gwen Stefani) in the choruses. The ‘the beat goes on-and-on-and-on-and’ hook may seem cheesy and out of place, but the stark contrast between the tempered verses and sugary choruses is there to show the ‘before and after’ of falling in love. Despite an unimaginative bridge, the choruses should ultimately stick in listeners’ heads as good old-fashioned short, bubblegum pop disguised as an indie track.
Boom Clap marks an ideal introduction of Charli XCX’s music to a new audience. It is an unchallenging yet memorable track as it captures a bit of that joy of being in love.
