Australian dance-pop talent Troye Sivan’s newest full-length studio LP, “Something To Give Each Other,” is an upbeat, groove-filled statement on queer love. Sivan, as confident as ever, has created a record full of potential hits and chart-toppers.
The first track, “Rush,” kicks off the record in full gear. Released as the first single and late-contender for “Song of the Summer,” it features a strong, beefy dance beat and house grooves.
In the song’s chorus, Sivan powerfully chants, “I feel the rush/Addicted to your touch/Oh, I feel the rush/It’s so good, it’s so good.”
“This album is my something to give you – a kiss on a dancefloor, a date turned into a weekend, a crush, a winter, a summer. Party after party, after party after after party. Heartbreak, freedom. Community, sisterhood, friendship. All that,” Sivan said in an interview with Rolling Stone — and “Rush” is definitely a decadent party anthem.
Queer club music has always been a part of “the culture.” Now, Sivan is taking that idea and capitalizing on it by making indulgent pop hits for the dance floor.
Slow songs still exist on the album and act as alternative R&B interludes. “Still Got It” and “Can’t Go Back Baby” are beautiful tracks with heartfelt, emotive instrumentation mixed with well-thought-out vocals by Sivan.
The iconography and imagery of the album are very much queer-centric. On the album cover, Sivan is in the presence of another man in an intimate context. However, instead of being portrayed as “sexy,” “bold,” or “fierce,” it is represented as joyful — Sivan can’t help but smile while being with someone he loves.
“Queer joy” — as a concept described by Yes! Magazine — is important for artists to express because, in this heated political climate, queer people are often portrayed as sullen, joyless and abnormal. However, Sivan smashes this idea by giving us what happiness means to him through a queer lens.
The beautiful soundscapes Sivan cultivates complement the warmness of his lyrics. “I see love in every space/I see sex in every city, every town/I wonder what us two could make/’Cause I feel so good around you,” Sivan sings on “Honey.”
“Something To Give Each Other” has alt-R&B tracks, house tracks, dance-pop tracks and more. Despite this variety, Sivan does not go for anything radically different between each track tonally, so the album feels like it’s hitting the same note throughout.
The album also doesn’t really add anything to the burgeoning house micro-renaissance. Last summer, Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” injected new life into pop music by successfully infusing it with house music, ballroom, dancehall, diva, dance and afrobeat — all incredible combinations with Bey’s early and modern styles.
On Sivan’s new record, he rides the Bey wave, and while he incorporates some original thoughts into the mix, you cannot help but feel something is missing — that this might be a copy of a copy of a copy.
Sivan’s queer joy, house-worship and genuine fun all make for a surprising record, and it is a surprise I will gladly take because this means queer icons and positive change may finally be taking hold in pop culture — and in the world as a whole.
Rating: 3/5 stars
