World domination is what Charli XCX has her sights set on. Ever since she sprung into our hearts in the early 2010s, Charli’s ascension to pop darling superstar has been anything but unnatural. With “New Shapes” the first taste of her fifth album Crash, dropping March 18th next year, Charli takes one more step forward while dragging the past with her.
Never one to shy away from wearing influences on her sleeveless arms, Charli harnesses the 80s dance pop endearingly on “New Shapes,” and doesn’t resign to bringing only Christine and the Queens back for another dominating single, but also Caroline Polachek. It’s equal parts Paula Abdul and Michael Jackson with Charli’s trusted zeal to twirl across the sheet vinyl with ecstasy.
This is purely synth-laden sex pop, the stuff Charli’s perfected now. She grooves alongside Christine and Caroline trading verses but still keeping it close to the chest with “What you want / I ain’t got it” letting us all know these shapes are ever changing. Covered in glitz and glam, glitter and sweat, the three C’s rotate duties seamlessly like a trio of friends working off of each other’s energy. Content wise, it’s not too new of territory for those involved – broken hearted, maybe a tad bitter, and while it’s not as exhilarating as “Good Ones,” the exceptionally retro cut from September, both are hopefully expected to show up on Crash together.
For her latest and “last” escapade for Asylum Records, Charli’s employed a host of mesmerizing talent elsewhere – Oneohtrix Point Never, George Daniel (of the 1975), A.G. Cook, and Rina Sawayama just to name a few. Crash follows last year’s quarantine produced How I’m Feeling Now, and “New Shapes” is the first collaboration with Christine and the Queens since “Gone,” the 2019 banger that appeared on Charli. Charli will take Crash on tour next year via the dates below. Check out “New Shapes” and get pumped for 2022.
Charli XCX:
03-26 Oakland, CA – Fox Theatre
03-29 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
04-01 San Diego, CA – The Observatory North Park
04-03 Los Angeles, CA – The Greek Theatre
04-06 Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
04-08 Austin, TX – ACL Live at The Moody Theater
04-09 Houston, TX – House of Blues Houston
04-10 Dallas, TX – House of Blues Dallas
04-12 New Orleans, LA – Orpheum Theater
04-13 Atlanta, GA – The Eastern
04-15 Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
04-16 Norfolk, VA – The NorVa
04-18 Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
04-20 Boston, MA – House of Blues Boston
04-22 New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom
04-23 New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom
04-25 Toronto, Ontario – Massey Hall
04-26 Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
04-28 Saint Paul, MN – Palace Theatre
04-29 Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
05-13 Dublin, Ireland – Olympia Theatre
05-15 Glasgow, Scotland – O2 Academy
05-17 Manchester, England – Victoria Warehouse
05-18 Birmingham, England – O2 Academy
05-19 London, England – Alexandra Palace
05-21 Norwich, England – UEA
05-22 Sheffield, England – O2 Academy
05-23 Nottingham, England – Rock City
05-25 Paris, France – Trianon
05-27 Brussels, Belgium – La Madeleine
05-28 Utrecht, Netherlands – Ronda Hall
05-30 Berlin, Germany – Astra
05-31 Cologne, Germany – Carlswerk Victoria
06-02 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound
06-04 Milan, Italy – Fabrique
06-07 Madrid, Spain – La Riviera
06-09 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound
