LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. —  March 6 marked the release of Harry Styles’ fourth solo album, “Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.” Fans were ready and eager for his latest album after the prolonged success of his third album, “Harry’s House,” and its extended tour. The album’s single “Aperture” set the tone for his coming music and quickly became his most-streamed song across music platforms after its release on Jan. 22.

The hit single references Styles’ love of photography: aperture is the lens of a camera, which controls the lighting and exposure of a photo. This metaphor is central to the album as the lyrics explore letting light and love into his life, as well as being receptive to the unknown. The album cover itself can also be seen as a photography reference; the black frame and circular and square arrangement of the words echo the screen of a digital camera, with a photo of Styles as the photo displayed on the camera’s screen and the words as the buttons.

As the album title suggests, there is a greater emphasis on love—of all kinds—rather than disco in the album’s lyrics, musical arrangements and mood. Themes of love, music, relationships, illusion versus reality and introspection are prominent while listening. The first three songs, “Aperture,” “ American Girls” and “Ready, Steady, Go!” establish these themes while focusing on more external aspects of their respective motifs while “Season 2 Weight Loss” adopts a more reflective tone, cemented in “Pop” which acts as a turning point in the narrative with the adoption of true candid introspection, exploring Styles’ public and private persona and the dissonance between the two. 

“Coming Up Roses” is a perfect example of Styles’ blend of social and cultural elements in his work, as the phrase refers to a situation that is developing ideally, perfectly undercutting the true heart of the song: not all relationships are meant to last forever. The lyrics “If we stay the course, we could get it right,” followed by “And everything seems to be coming up roses,” conveys the optimism of a budding relationship, while “Does this seem to be bringing us closer?/Or am I backseating your life?” communicates the give and take that comes with loving someone, and the uncertainty of how to find that homeostasis.

Styles employs a range of instruments and production styles to complement his storytelling. For example, in songs like “The Waiting Game,” he blends acoustics with electronics, while “Coming Up Roses” employs a string arrangement, mimicking a waltz, and “Pop” may take listeners by surprise with its groovy 80s style. The high-energy, dance-pop basslines and choir backtracks, however, make clear that Styles intended to acknowledge his original inspiration of Berlin nightlife for the album.

“Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.” has pieces of the tender storytelling and acoustics that characterize Styles’ older albums while still honoring aspects of the disco era and incorporating danceable songs that will be sure to provide a serotonin boost. Overall, fans and critics alike can’t deny the layers of vulnerability and truth in this album.