Some may know him from Channel 4’s It’s a Sin, others — like myself — recall ‘King’, under the Years & Years guise, as Olly Alexander’s first foray into fame. It soundtracked summer and my last few months of uni — not to mention the jubilation after sitting those final-ever, nail-biting exams.  What a time to have been alive! That memory and the tunes from Years & Years’ colour-speckled debut album are intertwined.

Fast forward and we now have Olly Alexander as a fully fledged solo artist, still making considerable waves in the industry, and across social platforms and mainstream media. Isn’t he just fabulous? So naturally, I jumped at the chance to review his freshest album, ‘Polari’*. 

The title track opener is a synthy, deliberately glitchy-sounding funk banger. Very disco, very ‘80s, very willing to get you on your feet. It’s the sort of tune that would’ve been fun to tease out on a keyboard when first writing, but that could also be used in an old-school teen movie set decades ago. It’s super-cool, so I’m hooked. You’ll also detect these same crisp throwback synth sensibilities on ‘Beautiful’, much further into the collection. Meanwhile, ‘Heal You’ adds to this roll call of fist-pumping, keys-led bangers as well — and at this stage, I’m thinking it could be up there as a fave? 

Then comes ‘Cupid’s Bow’, which has a bit more of a classic noughties pop essence to it — kind of Lady Gaga. It’s also the direct link name-wise to the record’s arrow-wielding visuals. And those rich synths run throughout. I could totally hear ‘I Know’ on the neon-lit dancefloors of Ibiza as well — again, tying into that general feeling that Olly Alexander is the orchestrator of some of the most summer-ready hits the charts will ever rank. ‘When We Kiss’, number nine on the tracklisting, is another that serves these vibes up in spades.

The hypnotic ringing, pulsating beats on ‘Dizzy’, just under halfway through, also massively absorb you and so it begs to be played loud. It’s got some techno hallmarks as well. Then, contrastingly, the slower, more wistful ‘Archangel’ — sheer sugary pop at its glossiest, and certainly one to spin during a reflective mood. Enjoying the slower tempo? ‘Whisper In The Waves’ dials it down even further and, in turn, shows off Olly’s exemplary vocal clarity and range.

Fading ‘Polari’ out softly and gently is the finale, ‘Language’; a closing, 3:44 gambit that rounds this juicy pop offering off splendidly. So whether you’re ready for a night on the tiles to let loose, or you’re at home in need of some morning motivation, let Olly Alexander guide you towards the good times. Plug those speakers in, people!

If you only download one track, let it be: ‘Polari’

*With thanks to Chuff Media for the advanced stream.