Pop 2 (mixtape)

Pop 2
Mixtape by Charli XCX
Released 15 December 2017 (2017-12-15)
Recorded September–November 2017[1]
Genre
Length 40:26
Label Asylum
Producer
Charli XCX chronology
Number 1 Angel
(2017)		 Pop 2
(2017)
Singles from Pop 2
  1. "Out of My Head"
    Released: 8 December 2017

Pop 2 is the fourth mixtape by English singer and songwriter Charli XCX, released on 15 December 2017 by Asylum Records.[6] Executive produced by A.G. Cook of PC Music, sessions for the mixtape began just several months before its release and featured a wide variety of guest contributions.[7] The project received acclaim from music critics, and was backed by the single "Out of My Head" featuring Alma and Tove Lo.

Background

Recording for Pop 2 began in September 2017, just two months before the mixtape was to be completed, with Charli reaching out to producer and PC Music founder A.G. Cook to suggest they work on a new project following their previous mixtape Number 1 Angel (2017).[3] Cook stated that "we wanted it to feel like a complete restart in terms of the image and style of it" in comparison to their previous project.[3] The majority of recording took place in Alicia Keys' old New York studio, with other sessions occurring in London.[3] Charli relied heavily on auto-tune, which Cook experimented with and manipulated on particular tracks. She stated that "the mixtape is in this very free, fast, and experimental world. But it's also still intended to be pop. It's what I naturally gravitate towards."[3]

The recording was to feature a contribution from rapper Lil Peep, which was shelved following his death in November.[3] Collaborations which appear on the record include singer Carly Rae Jepsen, Brazilian artist Pabllo Vittar, Estonian rapper Tommy Cash, German pop singer Kim Petras and Korean-American hip hop artist Jay Park among others.[3] Charli stated that "this mixtape isn't necessarily about me – it's really about giving everybody their moment to own the song."[3]

Singles

The first single from Pop 2, "Out of My Head" featuring Tove Lo and Alma was released on 8 December 2017 along the pre-order of the mixtape on digital platforms.[8] The song "Unlock It" featuring Kim Petras and Jay Park was premiered on 11 December 2017 on radio program Beats 1, being named its release day's World Record.[9] Another track called "I Got It" featuring Brooke Candy, Cupcakke and Pabllo Vittar was released on 13 December 2017 as the final promotional single before the mixtape's official release.[10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic84/100[11]
Review scores
SourceRating
Consequence of SoundB+[12]
Crack Magazine8/10[13]
Exclaim!7/10[14]
Financial Times[15]
The Guardian[16]
NME[2]
Pitchfork8.4/10[17]
Q[18]
Spectrum Culture[19]

At review aggregate site Metacritic, Pop 2 has an average score of 84 out of 100, based on 8 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[20] Meaghan Garvey of Pitchfork, who gave the album an 8.4/10, called it "the best full-length work of both Charli and PC Music’s respective careers," opining that "though Pop 2 sounds like the future, even more delightful is the way it hybridizes sounds from the past two decades of weirdo electronics."[17] Ludovic Hunter-Tilney of Financial Times wrote that Charli XCX "stands out as a paragon of progressiveness," opining that "on the majority of the tracks Charli and her producer Cook deploy their meta-pop tactics with a skilful sense of dramatic engagement."[15]

Track listing

Credits adapted from Tidal.[21]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Backseat" (featuring Carly Rae Jepsen)
  • EasyFun
  • Cook
3:58
2."Out of My Head" (featuring Tove Lo and Alma)
  • Cook
  • Sophie
3:55
3."Lucky"
  • Charli XCX
  • Cook
  • M.E
  • Ö
 3:35
4."Tears" (featuring Caroline Polachek)
Cook4:13
5."I Got It" (featuring Brooke Candy, Cupcakke and Pabllo Vittar)
  • Umru
  • Cook
3:51
6."Femmebot" (featuring Dorian Electra and Mykki Blanco)
  • Gamson
  • Cook
  • EasyFun
3:38
7."Delicious" (featuring Tommy Cash)
Cook4:32
8."Unlock It" (featuring Kim Petras and Jay Park)
  • Cook
  • Life Sim
3:52
9."Porsche" (featuring MØ)
  • EasyFun
  • King Henry
  • Cook
3:26
10."Track 10"
5:26
Total length:40:26

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[21]

Musicians

  • Charli XCX – vocals (all tracks), composer (tracks 1–5, 7–10)
  • Alma – featured vocals (track 2), composer (track 2)
  • Noonie Bao – background vocals (track 10), composer (track 10)
  • Pablo Bispo – composer (track 5)
  • Mykki Blanco – featured vocals (track 6), composer (track 6)
  • Brooke Candy – featured vocals (track 5)
  • Tommy Cash – featured vocals (track 7), composer (track 7)
  • A. G. Cook – composer (all tracks), synthesizer (track 6)
  • Cupcakke – featured vocals (track 5), composer (track 5)
  • EasyFun – synthesizer (track 6)
  • Dorian Electra – featured vocals (track 6)
  • Mikkel Storleer Eriksen – composer (track 10)
  • David Gamson – synthesizer (track 6), composer (track 6)
  • Rodrigo Gorky – composer (track 5)
  • Fransisca Hall – composer (track 6)
  • Tor Erik Hermansen – composer (track 10)
  • Carly Rae Jepsen – featured vocals (track 1), composer (track 1)
  • Life Sim – synthesizer (tracks 8, 10)
  • Lil Data – synthesizer (track 10)
  • Tove Lo – featured vocals (track 2), composer (track 2)
  • Arthur Marques – composer (track 5)
  • MØ – featured vocals (track 9), composer (track 9)
  • Ö – background vocals (track 3), composer (track 3)
  • Cassia O'Reilly – composer (track 9)
  • Jay Park – featured vocals (track 8), composer (track 8)
  • Kim Petras – featured vocals (track 8), composer (track 8)
  • Caroline Polachek – featured vocals (track 4), composer (track 4), background vocals (track 7)
  • Jesse Shatkin – composer (track 5)
  • Sasha Sloan – composer (track 10)
  • Sophie – composer (track 2)

Production

  • A. G. Cook – executive producer, producer (all tracks), programmer (all tracks) engineer (tracks 3, 5–8)
  • EasyFun – producer (tracks 1, 6, 9), programmer (tracks 1, 6, 9)
  • David Gamson – producer (track 6), programmer (track 6)
  • Stuart Hawkes – mastering engineer (all tracks)
  • King Henry – producer (track 9), programmer (track 9)
  • Life Sim – producer (track 10)
  • Lil Data – producer (track 10)
  • Brendan Morawski – engineer (tracks 3, 4, 6–8)
  • Ö – producer (track 3), programmer (track 3)
  • Noah Passovoy – engineer (track 2)
  • Sophie – producer (track 2), programmer (track 2)
  • Stargate – producers (track 10)
  • Geoff Swan – mixer (all tracks)
  • Umru – producer (track 5), programmer (track 5)

References

  1. ↑ Myers, Owen (15 December 2017). "Charli XCX and A. G. Cook explain the secrets of her ambitious new mixtape". The Fader. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  2. 1 2 Daly, Rhian. "Charli XCX – Pop 2". New Musical Express. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Owen Myers (15 December 2017). "Charli XCX and A. G. Cook explain the secrets of her ambitious new mixtape". The Fader.
  4. ↑ Gore, Sydney. "TRL's Top 20 Albums of the Year". MTV. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  5. ↑ Breihan, Tom. "Album Of The Week: Lemuria Recreational Hate". Stereogum. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  6. ↑ "'Pop 2' by Charli XCX". iTunes. 15 December 2017.
  7. ↑ Stubblebine, Allison (7 December 2017). "Charli XCX Confirms 'Pop 2' Mixtape Featuring Carly Rae Jepsen, CupcakKe & More Out Next Week". Billboard.
  8. ↑ Nied, Mike (8 December 2017). "Charli XCX, Tove Lo & ALMA's "Out Of My Head" Is A Glistening Bop". Idolator. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  9. ↑ Rettig, James (11 December 2017). "Charli XCX – "Unlock It" (Feat. Kim Petras And Jay Park)". Stereogum. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  10. ↑ Patrick Hosken (13 December 2017). "Charli XCX's 'I Got It' Is The Weirdest, Most Exciting Peek At Her New Mixtape". MTV News.
  11. ↑ "Pop 2 [Mixtape] – Charli XCX". Metacritic. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  12. ↑ Geffen, Sasha (22 December 2017). "Charli XCX – Pop 2". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  13. ↑ Ma, Nathan. "Charli XCX – 'Pop 2'". Crack Magazine. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  14. ↑ Gormely, Ian (19 December 2017). "Charli XCX Pop 2". Exclaim!. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  15. 1 2 Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (15 December 2017). "Charli XCX: Pop 2 – 'challenging musical terrain'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  16. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (4 January 2018). "Charli XCX: Pop 2 review – kick-ass hits from a parallel universe". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  17. 1 2 Garvey, Meaghan (20 December 2017). "Charli XCX: 'Pop 2'". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  18. ↑ "Pop 2 by Charli XCX". AnyDecentMusic? Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  19. ↑ Bromfield, Daniel (1 January 2018). "Charli XCX: Pop 2". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  20. ↑ Pop 2 [Mixtape] by Charli XCX, retrieved 2017-12-20
  21. 1 2 "Pop 2 - Charli XCX". Tidal. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
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