'Fine Line' Raises Harry Styles to Rock Star Status

In a world full of generic pop, it’s hard to figure out a way to stand out from the basic electronic beats and rhythms. Somehow, Harry Styles has managed to break through the wall, creating his own genre of psychedelic melodies and groundbreaking instrumentals. In his sophomore album, Styles has completed the transition from boyband member to international rock star.

It has been two years since the release of Styles’ self titled debut album, which was the ninth global best-selling album of 2017. Since then he has gone through relationships, heartbreak, and most importantly growth, all reflected in his brand new album Fine Line. Fans first got a taste of the album with the surprise drop of the single “Light’s up,” following with the music video. Here, the singer talks about breaking through a wall and “never going back,” and asks the question “Do you know who you are?”. Followed by singles “Watermelon Sugar” and “Adore You,” Fine Line was set to be one of the most anticipated albums of 2019.

The album starts with the track “Golden,” an upbeat opener to set the tone for the rest of the album. This song perfectly demonstrates Harry as an artist, and the skills of the production team he has decided to work with on the album. The layering of his voice is hypnotizing, working perfectly with the enthusiastic building instrumentals. This is definitely the track you want to listen to for an immediate mood booster.

Passing the singles we all knew and loved, there’s “Cherry” and “Falling,” where Styles opens up about his most recent breakup. “Cherry” is a slow acoustic confession of longing for the one he has lost, Missing her accent and her friends, hoping that deep down she feels the same way. “Falling” is a piano ballad, discussing the hardship of the aftermath of the breakup, feeling destroyed, lost, and quite literally feeling like you’re falling. Harry says the line “And I get the feeling that you’ll never need me again,” with his entire soul and illustrating his overarching feeling of loneliness and isolation.

The rest of the album experiments both instrumentally and lyrically. The inclusion of “She” shows Styles’ full musical development and perfectly captures the tone of the album with the inclusion of psychedelic lyrics and Mitch Rowland’s impressive guitar solo.

The final and title track “Fine Line” concludes the album and encapsulates the long and spiritual journey Styles has been on in the two years since his first album. This track is six minutes long, where Styles repeats “We’ll be alright” over and over again to stress the conclusion he has drawn from his journey. Although there may be turmoils and heartbreaks, there is triumph and bliss. Whatever is thrown at us, we’ll be alright.

The one common factor between all reviews and opinions of Fine Line as an album, is that Harry Styles is doing it like no one else in the music industry. In an interview with Zane Lowe of Apple Music, Styles stresses the importance of being vulnerable and how that is the only way to have real relationships with people, and that is exactly what he did with this album. This album both shows Styles transformation as a person and as a musician. Styles has officially established his sound, and Fine Line is the only place you will hear that sound. I’ve heard his music compared to Fleetwood Mac, the Rolling Stones, and even Billy Joel. But truly he is none of those, he is Harry Styles.

5/5 stars.