8/10

After releasing her spellbinding debut album 'All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend' back in 2016, Norwegian frontwoman AURORA has been one of the most progressive pop artists in the world ever since. Her unique blend of diverse production and strong understanding of future-pop aesthetic has allowed her to push every boundary when it comes to delivering anthemic and engaging music, and out of nowhere we have been treated to the first half of her second studio album 'Infections of A Different Kind - Step 1', an record that cements her as the global songstress that she is.

Coming in with just eight tracks to its name, 'Infections of A Different Kind - Step 1' instantly gets the ball rolling with the euphoric 'Queendom', released by the singer earlier in the year. From there, it is nothing but bold and uplifting compositions that aim to channel the sheer grandeur she showcased on her debut LP. While it may be intended to be just a taste of the full work, this new half-album still manages to pack one hell of a punch throughout as the frontwoman seems to take on the guise of an unstoppable juggernaut, delivering one captivating single after another.

2018 has certainly been the year of future-pop, with so many names in the scene producing quality far beyond what we could have hoped for, and AURORA takes her rightful place amongst those individuals on this return. And despite it only being one half of an unfinished project, it still excites even more as to what we can expect when we hear the other side of this collection.