After painting the summer an iconic shade of chartreuse, Charli xcx has brought “BRAT” back with a vengeance with her remix record “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat.”
The remix album features all the standard songs from “BRAT” (and one of the deluxe songs), but reimagined. These versions include collaborators such as Lorde, Bon Iver, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Troye Sivan, Tinashe and many others. Several of the songs were previously released as singles.
The remix record came after “BRAT” experienced a surprise success over the summer. Previously a cult favorite beloved by pop enthusiasts, the release of “BRAT” saw Charli xcx skyrocket to mainstream success over a decade into her career. Indeed, her “BRAT” aesthetic has even been used in Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.
Highs
One of Charli xcx’s most notable talents is her ability to network in the entertainment world. “BRAT” actually stands out in her discography for having no collaborations. Through these new remixes, Charli xcx has expanded her sonic horizons, making this record far more experimental than “BRAT.” It harkens back to older projects such as “Pop 2” and “how i’m feeling now.”
Part of the experimentation is the combination of styles that emerges as each artist brings unique specialties to the table. Some excellent examples are “Everything is romantic featuring caroline polachek," “Apple featuring the japanese house,” and “I think about it all the time featuring bon iver." Polachek's gorgeous harmonies make a beautiful song even more romantic, while The Japanese House infuses "Apple" with a more sonic atmosphere. It seems like a pairing between Charli xcx and Bon Iver should not work, but their collaboration has ended up being one of the deepest and most emotional songs of the album.
These remixes also take on new perspectives lyrically, adding more depth to the music. The narrative of each song is taken into account, and the artists often act as different “characters” in the songs. The best examples are Lorde’s vulnerability as she “worked it out on the remix” of “Girl, so confusing” and The Japanese House singing about being distant from a toxic family on “Apple.”
Charli xcx also takes on new perspectives herself, such as in “So I featuring a.g. cook,” a song that deals with grief at the loss of the musician Sophie. The original already featured A.G. Cook as a producer, but this new version focuses on the good times with her, less a remix and more a welcome companion song.
Lows
Although those positives work well most of the time, they do not always. Although the remix record is more experimental than “BRAT,” it is also far less cohesive, making it a more difficult overall listening experience. Though Charli xcx has experimented and collaborated many times before, the records have still always been cohesive. This time, the songs mostly work well on their own, but they do not all work as a project.
There are also some remixes that outright do not work, leading to “BRAT” finally having some bad songs. “Mean girls featuring julian casablancas” and “I might say something stupid featuring the 1975 & jon hopkins” in particular are far inferior to the originals.
The “Mean girls” remix makes no sense with its new perspective. Casablancas turns it into a breakup song, and it almost sounds as if he is recording for a completely unrelated project. Given the subject matter and his lack of chemistry with Charli xcx, this song should have featured a more mean girl-esque artist. Similarly, “I might say something stupid” fails on every level. The production is boring until the end, and the lyrics are bizarre and lacking in depth, such as “I eat a lot like a fly." Moreover, Matty Healy’s vocals are grating.
Verdict
Depending on how much they enjoy the guest artists, the listener's mileage may vary on “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat.” Though messy and not as consistently good as “BRAT,” it is a good reminder of Charli xcx’s versatility and ability to work with many talents that will surely please hardcore fans.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Frank Remski is a film and theater reviewer for the Eastern Echo. He is majoring in media studies and journalism and minoring in public relations. He has worked for The Echo since summer of 2023 and has written both news stories and opinion pieces.
