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Tiffany Day’s latest album, HALO, is a masterclass in blending gritty electronic pop production with raw and emotional lyricism that shares some of her deepest anxieties with the world. It is Day’s most vulnerable project yet, and also her most sonically ambitious, exploring everything from hyperpop synths to trap beats to nostalgic 2000s sounds. The world Day is able to build from just 13 tracks and 36 minutes of music is nothing short of outstanding. 

The opening track, “EVERYTHING I’VE EVER WANTED,” is an immediate highlight from HALO. The entire song is one big build-up, with pulsating synths laid strategically underneath Day’s voice turned up high in the mix to create an incredibly intimate sound. You can hear each breath, each voice crack, and each word that leaves Day’s mouth clearly, making the whole song feel as if she is talking directly to you. In fact, Day does address her audience in this song, questioning why she feels such a hollow and empty sensation after having achieved, seemingly, everything she’s ever wanted. Day’s meteoric rise out of the underground still hasn’t stopped, and her popularity continues to increase every day, but “EVERYTHING I’VE EVER WANTED” is a beautifully authentic track that describes her imposter syndrome and the challenges that come with being perceived. 

If “EVERYTHING I’VE EVER WANTED” is a moment of questioning and soft vulnerability, “DOIT4ME” is a demanding confrontation. The track starts with a seamless transition from the soft ending of the previous song straight into a high-energy beat drop, and the pointed use of the phrase “do it to me” contrasts the titular “do it for me” mentioned throughout the choruses. The next song, “SAME LA,” switches the vibe of the album completely, beginning with nostalgic and gritty guitars reminiscent of the early 2000s. The pre-chorus feels light, but the thrumming bass and rhythmic drums that enter in the chorus make the song feel almost euphoric. Although the instrumentals of the first three tracks of the album couldn’t be more different, all three songs address similar concepts: exploring insecurities about not being enough or fitting in. Each song probes into Day’s identity a little further, digging up moments and scenarios where these feelings were amplified and morphing them into chopped up vocals and arpeggiated synths. 

Many of Day’s lyrical themes that are introduced early on in HALO are built upon throughout the project. “PRETTY4U” delves into the pains of seeking physical validation, while “AMERICAN GIRL” sets us down at a party next to Day as she pressures herself into doing things she doesn’t want to do just to fit in. “BREAKUP” shows how Day’s anxieties can begin to affect others, as her obsessive thoughts and insecurities cause her to stress over breaking up with someone. Each song takes what the audience has learned about Day from the previous tracks and builds on it, creating a raw and authentic picture of her mind for us to discover as the album progresses. 

The most admirable thing about this project, though, is not necessarily the lyrics or the production alone, but how they strengthen each other. As Day’s thoughts become more pervasive and repetitive in her head, so too does the surrounding instrumentation. On “START OVER,” Day gets stuck in the middle of saying, “that’s what I tell myself,” interrupted by her own vocal chops, deep bass hits, and twinkly yet abrasive synths that represent her lingering thoughts about the past. And on “TELL ME WHAT I DID,” one of the standout tracks on the album due to its unique trap production, Day repeats “I won’t give up” over and over again in the chorus as rising arpeggiated synths permeate the beat to emphasize her message as many times as possible. 

Day’s ability to articulate her deepest anxieties and fears through pervasive vocal chops, instrumental stutters, and word repetition make for one of the most sonically and lyrically interesting pop projects of this year. The unapologetic hyperpop production only serves to strengthen the voyage into the deepest part of Tiffany Day’s mind that the audience journeys into while listening to the album, and it couldn’t be more effective. HALO is transformative, relatable, and will definitely be shooting Tiffany Day into stardom.

Listen to HALO below: