Albums to watch

Radical Optimism

Dua Lipa

Radical Optimism

Third album from the British-Albanian pop singer-songwriter with contributions from Caroline Ailin, Danny L. Harle, Tobias Jesso Jr., Julia Michaels and Tame Impala's Kevin Parker

ADM rating[?]

6.6

Label
Warner Records
UK Release date
03/05/2024
US Release date
03/05/2024
  1. 10.0 |   The Independent

    Unlike many of her pop peers, Dua Lipa doesn’t offer any diaristic glimpses into her private life
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  2. 8.0 |   The Irish Times

    As Beyoncé ventures into country and Taylor Swift wallows in another break-up album, Lipa’s the star we need right now
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  3. 8.0 |   Slant Magazine

    Despite their short runtimes, many of the songs on the album still manage to pack a punch
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  4. 8.0 |   Dork

    Dua’s place in pop is still a crucial one, as big pop albums become increasingly bloated with tabloid fodder, it’s refreshing to hear one from a superstar that isn’t suffocating under the weight of its own lore
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  5. 8.0 |   The Observer

    Talk of a new musical direction proves unfounded as the Grammy-winning singer’s third album shares more retro-inspired dance pop and lessons from her love life
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  6. 8.0 |   PopMatters

    With the help of Kevin Parker and Danny L. Harle, Dua Lipa’s new album Radical Optimism sounds like Tame Impala meets PC Music and goes to headline Glastonbury
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  7. 8.0 |   musicOMH

    The British Albanian singer becomes more nuanced and expressive as she alternates pop convention with eccentricity
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  8. 7.0 |   DIY

    Plenty of sun-drenched sonic optimism, but not so much that’s all that radical
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  9. 6.8 |   Sputnik Music (staff)

    There are a lot of individual moments on Radical Optimism that are lovely to listen to, and it’s definitely worth a spin
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  10. 6.6 |   Pitchfork

    Dua Lipa’s star power sounds muffled on her much-anticipated third album, which has many interesting ideas for songs and a surprisingly low hit rate
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  11. 6.3 |   Paste Magazine

    The English-Albanian pop superstar’s follow-up to Future Nostalgia lacks color, edge and instinct, as its 11 songs get lost beneath Kevin Parker and Danny L Harle’s psychedelic dependencies
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  12. 6.3 |   Beats Per Minute

    For the devoted fans, meanwhile, at least it can be said that at its worst her music is still worth listening to
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  13. 6.0 |   Clash

    I can’t see ‘Radical Optimism’ sliding in straight to number one in fans’ affections, but if the slow-burn of ‘Future Nostalgia’ is anything to go by, Dua Lipa would have grounds to be, as her latest project suggests, radically optimistic about the album’s future
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  14. 6.0 |   NME

    The superstar’s third album, produced with Tame Impala and Danny L Harle, chases hedonistic and carefree vibes – yet the results are mixed
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  15. 6.0 |   The Arts Desk

    The title strongly suggests an attempt to regain the magic mood that Future Nostalgia conjured
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  16. 6.0 |   Rolling Stone

    Ultimately, what you at times get is a watered-down version of Future Nostalgia, a record that feels adrift — even from Lipa herself. We didn’t expect her to cover Blur’s “Tender,” or drop her own line of lava lamps, but we were hoping for something a little more distinct
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  17. 6.0 |   The Guardian

    The British superstar has said her new album is influenced by Britpop, rave culture and Primal Scream, but you could go mad trying to find the evidence
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  18. 5.7 |   Spectrum Culture

    Despite attempting to be fun, the songs on Radical Optimism feel rehashed, are poorly written and highlight that even the biggest pop stars need to let listeners into their personal lives if they wish to keep people interested
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  19. 4.0 |   The FT

    The disco style of ‘Future Nostalgia’ is resuscitated on the singer’s third record
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  20. 3.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    Nobody needs to know the details of Lipa’s real life to lend her songs weight, but there should still be something in her performance, delivery, songwriting or production that sets them apart from platitudes, from background noise
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