The Big Ones: Halsey has decided to outdo everyone by becoming everyone

The big releases you need to hear from the week ahead.

With their fifth studio album, ‘The Great Impersonator’, set to drop on Friday (25th October), the New Jersey-born shape-shifter is about to take us on a time-travelling odyssey that would make The Doctor’s head spin.

Words: Dan Harrison.

Not content to stick to the era-by-era reinvention template most pop stars stick to, Halsey has decided to outdo everyone by becoming, well, everyone. With their fifth studio album, ‘The Great Impersonator’, set to drop on Friday (25th October), the New Jersey-born shape-shifter is about to take us on a time-travelling odyssey that would make The Doctor’s head spin.

A concept record that spans decades, it’s a ‘what if’ scenario played out across 18 ambitious tracks. Halsey is imagining alternate realities where their musical journey began in decades they never actually lived through. It’s either one of the most ambitious mainstream concept albums of the modern age, or the most elaborate excuse for raiding vintage clothing stores ever concocted.

The album’s trailer offers a tantalising glimpse into this time-bending journey. We see Halsey shape-shifting through various eras faster than you can say ‘costume change’. One moment, they’re channelling David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust; the next, they’re embodying the pop-punk princess aesthetic of the early 2000s. It’s like flipping through a rock history textbook written by someone with an impressive wig collection and a penchant for eyeliner.

But ‘The Great Impersonator’ isn’t just about playing dress-up. Halsey’s longest offering to date, it promises to delve deep into themes of identity, self-reflection, motherhood, and the relentless march of time. It’s an ambitious undertaking, one that sees Halsey grappling with their place in the musical pantheon while simultaneously reimagining it.

The singles released so far offer tantalising glimpses into this time-travelling odyssey. ‘The End’, a brutally honest ballad, serves as a sort of prelude to the album’s concept. It’s a raw, vulnerable track that touches on Halsey’s recent personal struggles without wallowing in them. ‘Lucky’, meanwhile, is a pitch-perfect homage to early 2000s pop, interpolating Britney’s iconic track of the same name. It’s nostalgia served with a side of self-awareness, a tricky balance that Halsey seems to be nailing.

But it’s ‘Lonely Is the Muse’ that perhaps best encapsulates the album’s ambitions. A dark, brooding rock song, it showcases Halsey’s willingness to push their sound while staying true to the darker influences that have punctuated her best work to date. The track’s raw emotion and experimental production hint at an album that’s not afraid to take risks, even if it means alienating some fans along the way.

Halsey’s collaborators on this project are equally intriguing. Working with the likes of lo-fi aficionado Alex G and Michael Uzowuru, they’ve reportedly embraced imperfection in the production process. It’s a bold move for an artist who exists amongst a sea of polished pop productions, but one that feels perfectly in keeping with the album’s themes of authenticity and self-discovery.

The idea of musical evolution is central to ‘The Great Impersonator’. Each era explored on the album comes with its own sonic palette and lyrical themes. The 1970s tracks draw inspiration from the confessional singer-songwriters of the time, with Halsey citing Joni Mitchell and Carole King as influences. The 1980s section leans heavily into synth-pop and new wave, while the 1990s tracks flirt with grunge and alternative rock. It’s a musical buffet, with Halsey piling their plate high with everything on offer.

This approach allows Halsey to showcase their versatility as both a vocalist and a songwriter. It’s a risky move, but it also speaks to Halsey’s artistic ambition and their desire to push themselves to their limits. They’re not just changing hairpieces; they’re swapping entire wardrobes, personalities, and possibly a few multiverses along the way.

The album’s title, ‘The Great Impersonator’, speaks to the chameleon-like nature of pop stardom, the constant pressure to reinvent oneself. But it’s also a recognition of the artifice inherent in performance, the gap between the public persona and the private individual. In an age where personal branding has become an art form in itself, Halsey seems to be questioning the very nature of identity in the public eye. It’s like they’ve looked at the concept of ‘finding yourself’ and decided to find everyone else instead, just to cover all bases.

This sense of legacy looms large over the album. By imagining their career across different decades, Halsey is also grappling with questions of artistic longevity and relevance. How does an artist stay true to themselves while evolving with the times? How do they balance commercial success with creative fulfilment?

It’s something further explored in the album’s rollout. Halsey has turned the album’s release into a pop culture scavenger hunt. Over recent weeks, they’ve been impersonating a different musical icon every day. So far, we’ve seen them transform into Dolly Parton, complete with sky-high hair. They’ve channelled the raw energy of PJ Harvey, the ethereal mystique of Kate Bush, and the nu-metal contrast of Evanescence. Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Nicks – Halsey has even given their take on, erm, Halsey?

‘The Great Impersonator’ is an album that promises to be many things: a concept record, a genre-hopping experiment, a personal exorcism. Whether it succeeds on all these fronts remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – Halsey is taking a leap into the unknown through the medium of some of the most iconic names in popular music. In the end, perhaps that’s what matters most. There’s something refreshing about an artist willing to take risks, directly putting their work up against legends of the game and letting their work speak for itself. Halsey may be playing at being an impersonator, but in doing so, they might just have found their truest self yet. 

Amyl and the Sniffers – ‘Cartoon Darkness’

Amyl and the Sniffers have never been ones for subtlety, and their third album ‘Cartoon Darkness’ is no exception. Recorded at Foo Fighters’ 606 Studios in Los Angeles, the Melbourne quartet have yet again managed to bottle lightning, creating a record that’s both a middle finger to the establishment and a rallying cry for the disaffected.

Lead single ‘Chewing Gum’ sets the tone; a relentless punk anthem that sees vocalist Amy Taylor snarling about the mundane and the apocalyptic in equal measure. ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ offers a tongue-in-cheek take on conservative outrage that manages to be both hilarious and terrifying, while ‘Big Dreams’ shows the band’s ability to inject a hint of melody into their chaos without losing their edge. 

Bastille – ‘&’

While lesser mortals might have been content to bask in the glow of their success, Bastille’s Dan Smith has decided to embark on a musical odyssey that’s part history lesson, part fever dream, and all Bastille. ‘&’ is a sort-of-solo-album that feels like the lovechild of a university lecture and a pop concert.

The album is being released in four parts, with each section exploring cultural and historical figures while peeling back another layer of Smith’s musical onion as it focuses. Tracks like ‘Eve & Her Paradise Lost’ and ‘Emily & Her Penthouse In The Sky’ showcase Smith’s knack for narrative songwriting, weaving tales that are equal parts intimate and epic. It’s as if he’s taken the kitchen sink approach to songwriting and somehow made it work. And there’s an accompanying podcast. Because, apparently, making a concept album wasn’t quite ambitious enough.

Katie Gavin – ‘What A Relief’

MUNA’s lead singer Katie Gavin is stepping out on her own with ‘What A Relief’, an album that feels like a warm hug from your coolest friend. Described by Gavin herself as “Lilith Fair-core”, it’s a solo effort that acts as a love letter to the women who paved the way for artists like Gavin.

The lead single ‘Aftertaste’ serves as a bridge between MUNA’s world and Gavin’s solo material, embracing the highs of new romance with a sweet vulnerability that feels both familiar and fresh. But don’t mistake this for a simple nostalgia trip. Gavin’s exploring themes of connection and the obstacles that stand in its way, all with a raw honesty that feels distinctly 2024.

Laura Marling – ‘Patterns in Repeat’

Laura Marling, breaking hearts and blowing minds since she was a teenager, is back with ‘Patterns in Repeat’, her eighth studio album. Written in the months following the birth of her first child, it’s a record that finds Marling at her most introspective.

Lead single ‘Patterns’ offers a glimpse into the album’s themes, with Marling’s ethereal voice floating over intricate guitar work like a lullaby for grown-ups. But don’t expect a collection of saccharine odes to motherhood. This is Laura Marling we’re talking about. She’s tackling “the drama of the domestic sphere, the frail threads that bind a family together, the good intentions we hold onto for our progeny and the many and various ways they get lost in time.” It’s heavy stuff, but in Marling’s capable hands, it’s transformed into something beautiful and profound.

Pixies – ‘The Night the Zombies Came’

‘The Night the Zombies Came’ is exactly what it sounds like – a delightfully weird addition to the Pixies’ already eccentric catalogue. It’s their first album with new bassist Emma Richardson, and if the singles are anything to go by, they’re not pulling any punches.

The album’s inspirations read like a fever dream shopping list: Druidism, apocalyptic shopping malls, medieval-themed restaurants, 12th-century poetic form, surf rock, gargoyles, bog people, and the distinctive dry drum sound of 1970s-era Fleetwood Mac. Because of course they do. Why wouldn’t they?

Pom Pom Squad – ‘Mirror Stars Moving Without Me’

The success of a debut like Pom Pom Squad’s ‘Death of a Cheerleader’ can really up the expectations around an artist, but Mia Berrin is up to the task. The result? ‘Mirror Stars Moving Without Me’, an album that’s part self-reflection, part middle finger to anyone who tried to put her in a box. The title references the classic horror movie trope where a character looks into the mirror, and their reflection moves in a completely different way, representing how Mia felt she was unable to even trust her own reflection.

‘Street Fighter’ comes out swinging like its pixelated namesake, a sonic Hadouken that’ll knock you back to the days of blowing into game cartridges. Meanwhile, ‘Villain’ struts in like it’s wearing steel-toed boots, all sneer and no apologies. When Berrin growls, “Fuck around and find out who the villain is,” it’s less of a warning and more of a dare. Berrin’s serving with a side of brass knuckles and a don’t-mess-with-me smirk.

Soccer Mommy – ‘Evergreen’

Sophie Allison, the mastermind behind Soccer Mommy, has decided to hit the reset button with ‘Evergreen’. After flirting with buzzy electronics and shoegaze distortion, she’s gone and done the musical equivalent of a digital detox. Recorded in Nashville (because where else do you go when you want to find your roots?), ‘Evergreen’ is Soccer Mommy unplugged, unfiltered, and unapologetically analogue.

Lead single ‘Lost’ showcases Allison’s voice in all its ethereal glory, less like listening to a song and more like having your heart gently removed, polished, and put back slightly askew. Meanwhile, ‘Driver’ proves she hasn’t completely abandoned her love affair with crunchy shoegaze guitar – it’s the aural equivalent of comfort food, if your comfort food happened to be a particularly angsty slice of alt-rock pie.

‘Evergreen’ is a record that feels like a road trip through America’s backroads, with Allison as our flannel-shirted, possibly-slightly-lost-but-don’t-worry-about-it guide, pointing out all the beauty and pain along the way. It’s less GPS and more ‘let’s see where this dirt road takes us’ – and honestly, we’re here for the ride.