YEARS & YEARS
Night Call (Polydor)
Few artists scoop up critical acclaim for acting roles in between albums, as is the case for Olly Alexander – frontman of now-solo project Years & Years, and recent lead in 2021’s televisual blockbuster It’s A Sin. The third album from Olly Alexander, Night Call demonstrates an evolution from 2015’s debut Communion and 2018’s Palo Santo, aiming for a sound less driven by synth sequences, which instead voyages into a slickly-produced dance signature instead.
The writing of many of their albums of late is rooted in periods interspersed with lockdowns. In reference to Night Call, Alexander has spoken of the desire to create a record that takes a “hedonistic and escapist” trip into the night. Night Call also further empowers queer life and experiences – an admirable aim and testament to Olly Alexander’s own LGBTQ+ advocacy as Years & Years and beyond.
The title track is one of the album’s finest, beautifully showcasing the best of Alexander’s vocal potential and layered harmonies, while the raw, bittersweet intimacy of 20 Minutes captures his knack for blending poignancy with pleasure.
words CHLOË EDWARDS