8/10

In the early days of Maggie Rogers' career, she was seen as a fresh and inventive name arriving on the scene. With a number of viral offerings that led up to her breakthrough debut album 'Head It In A Past Life' in 2019, she was seen as an artist working her way through the sludge of commercial pop at the time to deliver something far more rousing and interesting. And after a few years of figuring out what worked and what didn't from that initial collection, she is now looking to refine herself with her sophomore studio album 'Surrender', a record that makes far braver choices.

While 'Heard It In A Past Life' certainly showed promise for the dynamic artist, 'Surrender' feels the far more confident outing of the two. Still maintaining much of that same bright and forward-thinking approach to the mainstream ideal, she has blended her captivating songwriting with some brilliantly engaging production that hits all the marks. Choosing to self-produce this new release alongside Kid Harpoon has certainly given her an artistic freedom she seldom showcased before, gifting us a truly vibrant and imaginative array of pulsing pop delights.

It is very rare that we get to hear a pop record that is just as much about sound and texture as it is the voice and lyrical content, but 'Surrender' finds a perfect middle ground between the two. Progressive and inventive as often as possible, Maggie Rogers has delivered a juggernaut of adventurous aesthetics here.