It’s been a year since Carly Rae Jepsen released E•mo•tion, her third album that many hailed as a mature, nostalgic departure from saccharine hits like “Call Me Maybe.” If you were into it, then E•mo•tion Side B, which Jepsen released on Thursday, won’t disappoint.
The eight tracks are, more than anything else, an homage to the glitz of 80’s bubblegum pop — listen to “First Time” and try not to hear the parallels with Madonna’s “Into The Groove” — but it’s not a tired gimmick, as it often can be. It’s saved by (i.) Jepsen’s infectious vocals and (ii.) the subtle, synthwave-y depth of the music itself. Listen for yourself on Spotify or Apple Music.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- AI Is Not an Arms Race
- Here's What's in the Debt Ceiling Deal
- Matthew Macfadyen on Succession Series Finale
- How Worried Should the World Be of China's New COVID Wave?
- What Erdoğan’s Victory Means for Turkey—and the World
- Why Everyone Is Having Bad Sex (Especially Young People)
- The 30 Most Anticipated Movies of Summer 2023
- Florence Pugh Might Just Save the Movie Star From Extinction
