The First Song off Charli XCX's Quarantine Album Is Already Here

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After wiping her socials and images of a "fake" record contract circulated over the weekend, Charli XCX officially announced on Monday that she would be making an album while in isolation with a release day of May 15. Currently titled How I'm Feeling Now, Charli laid out the details of her new project to 1,000 fans on a Zoom call. Promising her most collaborative endeavor to date, she asked to send in beats and references along and stated that she'd be consulting them on the process along the way. Produced by A. G. Cook and BJ Burton, the album was framed as being DIY in aesthetic, focusing on raw, unfiltered emotion and only taking advantage of the resources at her disposal during quarantine.

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In a testament to just how much of an absolute machine she is, Charli returned today with the first single off the upcoming album, "forever." Premiered on Annie Mac's BB1 Radio show, the new track might come as a shock for those expecting more of the glossy futuristic polish of her most recent album, Charli. "forever" is full of noisy lo-fi beats and Imogen Heap-like vocal effects, almost reminiscent of Charli's early days writing bedroom pop and putting out mixtapes, but maintains a sleek and modern feeling with its euphoric strobed-out crescendo that is textbook A. G. Cook.

It's once again a new direction for Charli but one that, given the creative pool she's drawing from and the unprecedented level of transparency she's offering along the way, we're excited to see play out. Plus, at the rate Charli's going we might very well might be back here same time tomorrow writing about yet another single she's banged out in the interim.

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