8/10

Since departing from her formative group Chairlift in 2016, Caroline Polachek has quickly established herself as one of the more progressive icons in the pop movement these last few years. Finding associations and collaborations with the likes of Danny L Harle, Charli XCX, Christine & The Queens, A. G. Cook and so many more in just a short space of time has given her this vibrant lift within the scene, and allowed her to develop into a truly unique and forward-thinking artist. And after the rousing response to her last solo LP 'Pang' in 2019, she now returns to unveil her eagerly-awaited follow-up 'Desire, I Want To Turn Into You', a record that cements her as a true visionary.

While much of her more high-profile work in recent years has seen her as a bit-player within other's projects, 'Desire, I Want To Turn Into You' is one of the only times we have seen her front-and-centre of a new release, something that she has taken great time and effort to produce. Throughout her newest collection, we find a strong and reassured Polachek at the helm, someone who has a focused purpose to her aesthetic, creating this wonderfully vivid listening experience from start to finish. Originally supposed to be unveiled much sooner than this before the pandemic scuffled her plans, those wilderness years have clearly had an impactful influence over her sound as she returns with something far more interesting than many others doing the rounds right now.

Although many of her contemporaries seek to explore a bolder and more intense direction than her, 'Desire, I Want To Turn Into You' is a humbled yet electrifying collection that delivers something beautifully alluring at every turn. Hardly a dull moment throughout this twelve-track collection, Caroline Polachek is returning with some of her most engaging work to date here.