BRAT but it’s fall and it’s different but also still BRAT

Rinah Milter  

Music Journalist  

Charli XCX changed the game by releasing BRAT, making an entire movement out of it. In her words, “Brat is confrontational because when you are at your most vulnerable, you lash out,” and, “ [It’s] that girl who is a little messy, likes to party and like maybe says some dumb things but it’s very honest, it’s very blunt, a little volatile.”

She is also bringing EDM and house music back to the pop scene. The amount of cultural acknowledgement it’s gotten in such a short amount time is impressive, especially considering it isn’t what is generally considered “mainstream” music.  

Charli just released her revamped album, Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat, and it really lives up to its name, with every track having a new featured artist. Not only do the remixes themselves sound different, but they are in accordance with the style of the artist featured on the track. Yet the lyrics reflect what she has already expressed when BRAT initially came out.  

She teased this re-release with “Guess” featuring Billie Eilish, “Girl, so confusing” featuring Lorde back in August and recently “Talk Talk” featuring Troye Sivan before their SWEAT tour, which has been making headlines. The new BRAT album is more of a collaboration with different artists- combining their sound with the foundational elements of her initial vision for the album.

On the new album, Disc 1 contains all the new remixes, and Disc 2 contains the originals, clearly distinguishing remix from initial release. Each new track has been released separately as singles as well, some not even on the album like “Spring Breakers” featuring Kesha. Her most introspective opus yet, there are absolute gems on this album. 

Club classics featuring Bb trickz 

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect with this album, but by the second song, I realized each remix would be a complete remake of the original track. Club classics is what you bump in the club- loud music, the heat of being in the crowd and bass pumping through your veins. Bb trickz is a Latin rapper who usually uses influences from Drill and Hip Hop in her songs, and it shows in this remix.  

It’s really obvious that Drill music takes the front seat as it takes inspiration from trap music. The remix is a lot heavier, with more of an aggressive beat and less of a melody than the original. But you still experience that same feeling in your veins.  

I think about it all the time featuring Bon Iver  

This is my favorite remix that she has done. While perfectly sampling “Nick of Time” by Bonnie Rait, it moves very progressively and has more of a house music influence. It’s one of the more chill songs on the album, and the lyrics are very intimate for Charli, allowing her to connect with her audience this way.  

Apple featuring The Japanese House  

After hearing Apple so many times, this remix is extremely refreshing because, besides a little of the melody, it sounds nothing like the original. With their familiar chord progressions, it sounds like a The Japanese House song, but the beat is clearly Charli’s influence.  

Honorable Mentions:  

I might say something stupid featuring The 1975 

Sympathy is a knife featuring Ariana Grande  

So I featuring A.G. Cook  

365 featuring Shygirl  

Charli really outdid herself with this remix album. I’m going to consider it the golden standard of remixes now, because I’m sick of hearing the same song being re-released only in a slightly different way. The way Charli did this is relatively groundbreaking for an album re-release, and she had a great take on each song. Each one evolved with her, and she got every angle that she wanted to get.