“Something to Give Each Other” is the third studio album by Troye Sivan, an australian singer/songwriter, that was released on Oct. 13. This upbeat dance album has 10 tracks that comes in at 33 minutes listening time. Each song gives a different sound while still being cohesive as an album.
“The world can be a scary, dark, sad place. I really hope this music brings you even the tiniest bit of joy this week, and into the future,” Sivan said in an Instagram post.
Album Highs
This album is filled with serotonin. No matter if you're listening to a slower song or a hyper speed one, you can not help but dance. Each song has a different vibe, from slow electronic synth to hyper speed club music, but each one makes you want to tap your feet. “In My Room” features Spanish singer Guitarricadelafuente, even without understanding the lyrics throughout the song, the beat somehow makes you understand them.
Another highlight is the singles of the album. Two singles were released before the albums release, “Rush” and “Got Me Started”, both having similar production styles, are hyper dance beats, and were an amazing choice to release as singles. The song “One Of Your Girls” was treated as a release single airing with a music video when the album launched. The music video was absolutely stunning and featured singer Ross Lynch, and fully set this song up to be a hit. The visuals work so well with the lyrics. You can see the thought behind the song coming to life.
Album Lows
Production of the song sometimes takes away from the song as a whole. Each of the songs either have a really similar production style or the complete opposite, with the lyrics being the only thing holding them together. “What's The Time Where You Are?” into “One of Your Girls” is a perfect example of this, going from an upbeat electronic pulse into a slow rhythmic beat. It’s jarring at first listen to go from a high energy dance song to a slower more sensual song, and this trend continues throughout the album.
Some of the production is completely distracting to the songs. “Got Me Started” features a sampled track “Shooting Stars” and takes over the song completely at points. This feels like almost having that track as the star on the song, but the lyrics end up taking over after a few listens, and at first can be completely jarring. Even starting the album with “Rush,” which has a nightclub type of production, you're almost setting the album up to keep the same feeling, but it somehow works very well as a unit.
Overall, I thought the album was cohesive. I thought the production could have been sharper in places to not overwhelm the listener.
Verdict
I think this is one of the top pop albums of the year for how distinct and fun it is. Though some songs production are distracting, the lyrics and Sivan's voice keeps it all together, and keeps the album on repeat.
I give “Something to Give Each Other” a 9 out of 10 rating.
