Halsey: ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’ (First Impressions)
Halsey has released her 4th studio album, ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’ (IICHLIWP) and, unless I’m delusional, the wait was certainly worth it.
It’s been just about 6 years since Halsey released her debut album, BADLANDS, which was the last time she put out a project without features—until now, that is.
IICHLIWP is a rollercoaster, but you’re not getting motion sickness. While themes of love and adversity paint the entirety of the record, the songs are presented with fluctuating tempos.
Some of the slower tunes include Darling, Whispers, and Ya’aburnee. The latter being an Arabic term meaning “a declaration of one’s hope that they’ll die before another person because of how unbearable it would be to live without them.”
As for the more energetic tracks, the first one that comes to mind is Easier than Lying, which is an upbeat song that’s a bit reminiscent of bands like Paramore or Halestorm with its aggressive delivery at times. Other tracks that felt similar were: You asked for this and honey.
Halsey has ventured into this realm before with Experiment On Me from the Birds of Prey soundtrack, as well as forget me too off of Machine Gun Kelly’s 2020 pop-punk album, Tickets to my Downfall. In addition to this, IICHLIWP was also produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails, so the rock inspiration was expected.
My Favourite Tracks
There are so many songs out there where I can’t personally resonate with the subject matter, but still completely vibe with the sound. The perfect example of this is the fifth track on this album, Girl is a Gun.
While I envision a lot of IICHLIWP being gritty and dark, Girl is a Gun makes me feel like I’m trekking through a futuristic metropolis. It reminds me a lot of artists like La Roux, with perhaps a hint of Grimes. I find myself thinking of words like “ethereal” and “dystopia” when I listen to this.
Another song I really enjoyed was 1121, which derived its title from the date Halsey learned of her pregnancy—something she’s mentioned having previously struggled with—which is fitting as the lyrics definitely have a heartfelt, but relieving tone. The chorus reminded me of some of her work on her 2nd album, hopeless fountain kingdom. Both albums coincidentally have a sense of regality to them.
The last song I want to highlight is Darling, and I’m including this in my top 3 solely because it makes me want to cry.
It’s been nearly 5 years that I’ve been listening to Halsey and the evolution of their career has been a delight to watch. I can confidently say I thoroughly enjoyed this project, so much so that I’ve apparently become a temporary music reviewer.
In closing, IICHLIWP is easily one of Halsey’s strongest albums, if not the best. With untold stories and new adventures awaiting, I’m excited to see what’s next for her.
