After a four-year hiatus from releasing music, Harry Styles is back with a new single, “Aperture.” Released last Friday, the track is the first taste of Styles’ upcoming fourth album Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally., due out March 6. The five-minute song finds the pop superstar trading his past radio-friendly hooks for a slow-burning, psychedelic electro-pop sound. “Aperture” builds patiently with a hypnotic house beat and hazy synth textures, anchored by Styles’ warm vocals. The refrain “I’m going on clean” loops like a mantra throughout the song, hinting at themes of letting go and starting fresh.
Styles has hinted that club culture and live music inspired his new direction. “I spent a lot of time in Berlin last year, hearing a lot of different kinds of music,” he said, explaining how the city’s nightlife influenced him. “I was just loving what it allowed me to do on stage and be immersed in the music.” True to that inspiration, “Aperture” exudes a late-night dancefloor energy and a sense of freedom. With his new album on the horizon, Styles’ latest era is shaping up to be an adventurous one.
