From the first line of the mixtape’s first track, ‘Illegal’ – “My name is Pink and I’m really glad to meet you”, – the listener is in for a meditation on life and love through a reflection on the past, with introspective lyrics alongside the ‘brat’-esque, club pop sound that plays on the album’s varied influences.
For PinkPantheress, this album marks a change in her musical career. This mixtape demonstrates her ability to draw inspiration from a wide range of genres, especially from UK pop history. In particular, there are clear references to garage, jungle, indie, and dance music, but all adapted with a more girly, pop-ish twist - even the album’s cover art has a distinctly Lily-Allen-feel, reminiscent of a noughties indie sound.
In ‘Fancy That’, she is beginning to play with samples in a new light. For some fans, they will be able to notice the similarity between 2021’s ‘Attracted To You’, sampling the guitar riff from Just Jack’s ‘Starz In Their Eyes’, to the new song ‘Stars’, reworking the chorus’ lyrics into her own style, with a reflective and glittery tone.
Other samples and references across the album include strings from Panic! At the Disco’s ‘Do You Know What I’m Seeing?’ at the start of her song ‘Tonight’, a Basement Jaxx sample spun into the whirlwind track ‘Girl Like Me’, and the album’s second single ‘Stateside’ featuring the melody from ‘Freak Like Me’ by Sugababes’– a group Pantheress’ is known to be a big fan of. Throughout the album, each sample is used to help tell her story, not just to reference others.
The project as a whole is a testament to PinkPantheress’ talent as a singer, songwriter, and producer, and shows her continued growth and maturity in her own sound. The variety in the samples and musical influences lends itself to a result that matches her distinct voice and lyricism perfectly, with a sweet and upbeat sound, perfect for the start of summer.
Soph Johnson
Image: ‘Fancy That’ Official Album Cover
