Wednesday, 11 May 2016

Album Review: At Night, Alone - Mike Posner


In Mike Posner's UK number one single, "I Took a Pill in Ibiza", he confesses the lyric, "I'm just a singer who already blew his shot". Well, not quite, Mike Posner 2.0 is a bigger and better version than the original and his new album, "At Night, Alone", is simply stunning.

Now I was a big fan of Mike Posner's first album, "Cooler Than Me", was such a top song, but this album surpasses this work. It felt like for that work he was trying to fit into box he didn't quite fit into. It is often with freedom that we finally get to speak our truth. And his truth is exactly what we get here. There is a self deprecating brilliance that is very unexpected from an American artist. The work is reflective, brutally honest and exceptional.

The album has a beautiful contradiction. Posner has firmly placed himself in the singer / songwriter category, a great voice, basic instrumentation and poignant lyrics, but his success came again from a dance remix of "Ibiza", so the second half of the album are all remixes. This could have backfired, but these are great tracks as well, beautifully produced and each with their own stories. It is a unique album and one I will be revisiting a lot.

First single, "I Took a Pill in Ibiza", is exceptional in so many ways. The complete honesty is refreshing. It is quite ironic that a song about the pitfalls of fame has made him an even bigger star than before, a little like Kasey Chambers having a shot at Australian radio with, "Not Pretty Enough" and they played it non-stop. The remix is brilliant, as is the original low key version. One of my favourite songs of the year.

Other brilliant tracks include, "Not That Simple", a heartbreaking story that is both tragic and beautifully honest. The song is lyrically on point and the subtle instrumentation that plays under the track is exquisite. Posner really did pour his heart out on this album.

The duet with Labrinth, "Silence", is very unique. Posner wrote and produced Labrinth's best tune, "Beneath Your Beautiful", and the pair clearly work well together. The powerful tune almost sounds experimental. The keyboard banging is a great touch.

Other highlights include the beautiful simplicity of "Be As You Are", the emotive, "Iris", the pop culture minefield of "Jade" and I love the remix of "Buried in Detroit", with a great verse from Big Sean.

Now that Posner is back, let's hope he sticks around as he is truly a brilliant artist with something very important to say.


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