Fri. Oct 11th, 2024

Renowned For Sound

For the latest music reviews and interviews

Fifth Harmony – Fifth Harmony

2 min read
Photo: NBC/Epic Records

In January 2017, Fifth Harmony- Ally Brooke, Normani Kordei, Dinah Jane and Lauren Jauregui- started work on a new album. Their new album was eponymously named Fifth Harmony as if to affirm their position as a quartet after Camila Cabello’s departure in December 2016 to pursue a solo career. It’s the most dramatic girl group split since Geri left the Spice Girls back in ’98.

Fifth Harmony called on the expertise of a number of song writers and producers for their third studio album, namely The Stereotypes, Skrillex, Poo Bear, Monsters and Strangerz, Ester Dean, Ammo & Dallas K, Dreamlab, Harmony Samuels, Tommy Brown and Sebastian Kole.  However, each of the group’s members were deeply involved in the writing process themselves as well.

The lead single Down best represents the album as a whole in terms of the over all sound and feel. Gucci Mane lends his MC licks to the track which is tightly produced with a good hip hop bounce. Most of the other songs of the album continue in this vain. Deliver deviates a little from this with a little more of a soul vibe to it and the sporadic interjection of a piano bass line and harmony in the the pre chorus.

The album covers a few different themes lyrically; Don’t Say You Love Me is more vulnerable and showcases the girls’ vocals over the minimal instrumentation.  Angel and Sauced Up are a little more edgy and salacious in nature. Bridges could be interpreted as a reaction to Camila’s departure as they sing “We build bridges. No, we won’t separate…”

The album Fifth Harmony is a fun, hip hop and R&B influenced pop album. It ticks all the right boxes; singable hooks, danceable beats and punchy production.