Rose Gray : Louder, Please Review
by Shannon Smith
In her debut album, Louder, Please, Rose Gray presents a vibrant homage to the world of club culture and dance-pop to create a space where nostalgia and modernity intertwine. Gray’s roots in East London nightlife, with its primal pulse of heavy dance drums, the deliverance of crowded dance floors—infuse her music with a sense of the raw energy swirling in the crowd of gyrations. Clocking in at a sleek 41 minutes, the album is an exploration of Europop, acid house, and nu-disco, drawing inspiration from icons like Kylie Minogue and Robyn while carving out Gray’s distinct voice in a crowded dance-pop genre.
From the outset, the album’s intent is clear: this is music made for the dance floor. Opening track “Damn” sets the tone with seductive looped melodies over grungy dance drums, encapsulating Gray’s blend of punkish insouciance and euphoric abandon. The production on this track is solid. “Free,” a collaboration with producer Zhone, combines 80s synth lines with bombastic bass stabs supporting Gray’s expressive singing and vocal harmonies. While the lyrics veer toward the generic, the track captures a festival-ready vibe that invites communal joy and dancing.
Tracks like “Wet & Wild” and “Switch” showcase Gray’s ability to channel hedonism through effervescent house pads and sultry, breathy vocals, all while still keeping the dance energy intact. The former recalls the acid-house glory days with an anthemic, smile-inducing energy, while the latter takes a more playful turn, suggesting dynamic shifts in intimacy through flirtatious lyrics and a slower bpm.
Gray’s recruitment of top-tier collaborators, including Justin Tranter and Alex Metric, ensures polished production throughout. Yet, while these contributions elevate individual tracks, they sometimes undermine the album’s cohesion. Songs like “Angel of Satisfaction” flirt dangerously with imitation, their Lady Gaga-esque flamboyance and progressive house beats betraying Gray’s still-developing artistic identity. The chorus, with its refrain of “Just enough makes you heavenly,” is catchy but lacks the weight to fully anchor its thematic ambition.
“Hackney Wick,” however, emerges as a standout. A spoken-word ode to London nights, it crescendos with soaring strings and delicate handclaps, evoking the intimate connection Gray cherishes in club spaces. This track feels distinctly her own, a rare moment where her voice rises above her influences.
Gray’s talent and potential shine brightest on tracks like “Everything Changes (But I Won’t),” a wistful yet upbeat exploration of love’s constancy amidst life’s chaos. Collaborating with Uffie, Gray brings’ 90s-inspired chords and cheeky lyricism to life, balancing underground cool with pop accessibility. These moments suggest a future where Gray’s work might transcend the patchwork of influences and fully inhabit her own creative space.
Despite its maximalist aesthetic and polished sheen, Louder, Please often feels like a collection of singles rather than a cohesive album. Gray’s versatility, while impressive, sometimes leaves the listener searching for a unifying thread. Tracks like “Just Two,” with its overt nod to Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee),” highlight the risks of nostalgia tipping into predictability.
Rose Gray’s debut is a solid entry into the dance-pop canon, blending club-ready beats with an emotional undercurrent that hints at greater depth. While her sense of self is not yet fully formed, Louder, Please serves as a vibrant, energetic introduction to an artist with clear potential. Gray’s music is best enjoyed on the dance floor, where its pulsating beats and effervescent hooks can ignite the collective euphoria she so passionately embodies.
As Gray evolves, one can hope her future work will assert her artistic identity more confidently, marrying the influences she reveres with the originality she undoubtedly possesses. For fans of club culture and dance-pop, Louder, Please is an exciting glimpse into what could become a brilliant career.