Declan McKenna’s third studio album, What Happened To The Beach? brims at the edges with layers of sound, and shows off an experimental development in his songwriting and style. Beneath the pulsing synths and layered vocals is an unflinching honesty and examination of topics such as self-doubt, escapism and fame. The 25-year-old indie pop artist’s debut record, What Do You Think About the Car? in particular has remained popular for years after its 2017 release, and the new album retains that same catchiness and vulnerability while taking a different sonic direction and focusing inward.
From opener Wobble to closing track 4 more years, Declan takes us on an intergalactic journey through a world of synths and funky bass lines. The first track, Wobble is a catchy introduction to the album, asking the listener “What happened to the beach?” and immediately hooking us in for the next twelve songs. McKenna offers a hopeful outlook on the way life has changed, and the sunny lyrics infuse a joy into the song that is infectious. Elevator Hum, the following song, examines mental health, the “hole in my brain that’s come around again”. The mellow vocals and horn section balance each other out to create a warm sound to the track. I Write The News is another catchy track, with a creative bassline that urges the listener to move, and standout lyrics such as “London prices might seem stiff but they’ll roll you a spliff so you can’t refuse”. In the fifth track, the single Mulholland’s Dinner and Wine, McKenna sings about golf carts, a life of crime and fictional convenience stores. The song is spacey, with laidback vocals, and the various guitar lines create an infectious groove that lends itself to keeping the song on repeat. Nothing Works is another single with a pulsing bassline and driving drums; a confessional piece wherein Declan McKenna examines his own feelings of self doubt and artistic pressure, particularly as a voice for youth, having advocated for a number of important social causes both within and outside of his music. “You told me I don’t relate to the kids no more… I feel like I’m letting them down” he sings with a touch of cynicism, but carries on to admit “I feel wrong, I feel rehearsed”. The introspection is refreshing but it seems McKenna has a moment of identity crisis, unsure in his responsibility as a role model. “Not like I’m up and coming anymore/ So what if they hear me singing ‘I love war’?” is a nihilistic attitude light years away from the pacifist messaging behind 2019’s British Bombs. Nonetheless, the song’s harmonies are catchy and memorable. By the tenth track, Mezzanine, the record begins to slow. McKenna’s funky, mellow vocals and bouncing chord progression create an atmosphere of spacey escapism, reminiscent of Foster The People. The introspection continues in the penultimate song, It’s An Act. A soft, acoustic melody accompanies lyrics such as “it’s always you to sing a happy song” and “it’s not like you to mention how you feel” in this vulnerable track which sheds the synth-rock inclinations of the earlier half of the record as McKenna reflects on fame. What Happened To The Beach? closes with 4 more minutes, an haunting chorus of echoes of the song’s title. A guitar strums behind the voices as the song fades out, before McKenna leaves us on a cliffhanger with a voiceover that abruptly cuts off.
Undeniably influenced by Gorillaz and MGMT, fans of either will soon find a fast favourite in What Happened To The Beach?. It’s a hugely creative and open album, and generally strong despite a few tracks that I personally felt were either not too memorable melodically and lyrically, or alternatively layered too much discordant sound and became hard to enjoy. It’s an Act, Nothing Works and Mulholland’s Dinner and Wine were particular highlights, and overall Declan McKenna’s sound is ear-catching and fun, cynical yet light. This album will be one to come back to, discovering new moments each time.
7/10