"Cruel World" - Holly Humberstone album review

Since I first heard Holly Humberstone’s “Scarlett” in 2022, I’ve admired the sharpness and electricity of the British pop singer’s music. Her third studio album, Cruel World, is wise, witty and sensual. Through searching for friends when in doubt, being a friend to those in doubt, and struggling with societal pressures related to aging, Holly finds light in a cruel world.

I rate Cruel World an 8.5/10.

The album cover for Cruel World

The most captivating songs on the album combine nods of 2010s-reminiscent production with sensual lyrics. The melody from the opening orchestral track, “So It Starts…”, transitions into the same notes on guitar in “Make It All Better”. The lyrics are descriptive, though remotely morbid, “I wanna kiss the skin off of your cheeks”. The backing vocals are addictive throughout this album, especially in this song, but sometimes their use in looping interludes makes songs drone on. “Cruel World” digs deeper into sensual realms. She makes simple lyrics such as, “How am I supposed to breathe without you, baby?” and “It could be real cute” exhilarating. “Die Happy” continues such patterns. “Red Chevy”, a snappy, crisp pop song, brings it all home. She adds brass instruments and sings boldly but desperately, “Kiss me like you fucking mean it”.

A few songs feel reminiscent of throwbacks from other decades. “White Noise” reminds me, as I listen to the synths, of “Save Your Tears” by the Weeknd. “Drunk Dialling” has a similar structure to Maisie Peters’ “BSC”. Like in “BSC”, Holly is bitter but humorous, “I’m gonna shake my nonexistent ass to this shitty song” and mostly repeats one line in the chorus. “Blue Dream” goes further back in time, feeling like a song from Songs About Jane, Maroon 5’s 2002 hit album.

Holly starts being philosophical at the start of the record with “To Love Somebody” and closes off similarly near the end. Philosophical notions are something artists rarely impress me with, but Holly pulls it off. “Peachy” does it best. The song captures feelings of avoidant attachment, “How are you so sure that I’m your endgame?” and “If you’re surefire, maybe I’m just tired”. “Beauty Pageant”, the closer, accentuates a pattern of discussing aging. After remarking in “Peachy”, “I’m 24, I’m still a baby”, and in “Blue Dream”, “I’m a big girl”, she sings, “25, still alive”. She hits a gorgeous falsetto over the haunting piano.

I don’t adore when artists known for synth-pop music attempt to derive that production style on folkier songs, something Holly does with “Lucy”. This style tends to bore me. Regardless, I love the scratching and brightness of the guitar strings against the fretboard, and how Holly keeps me guessing with which notes she’ll hit next, often going ominous routes instead of more uplifting ones.

I loved this album and am hoping to post more album reviews in the coming months. You already know I’m ecstatic about the upcoming albums from Maisie Peters and Olivia Rodrigo. You can steam Cruel World on all streaming services and purchase tickets to see Holly in concert here.