Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of Billie Eilish. The 17-year old from Los Angeles is arguably one of the most popular artists around the world at the moment. The hype leading up to the release of her debut album was unprecedented for an artist whose discography is comprised of only a handful of singles and an entirely average EP. And yet, Eilish with her quirky outfits, carefree attitude, naif videos and gothic sound, somehow managed to catch the the world’s attention.

Eilish burst onto the scene three years ago with the single Ocean Eyes – a dreamy pop ballad interlaced with soft percussions and subtle synths. There was certainly an element of novelty about her, however, the fact that she was often viewed as the antithesis to pop’s status quo was entirely unfounded. I would even say that she has conformed considerably more than she has revolutionized. Furthermore, one cannot forget the unfortunate truth, which is that Billie Eilish is quite clearly an industry plant. Even though her fans might vehemently disagree, in reality, artists rarely get so famous without a major label pulling the strings, especially those that have barely released any music.

So I was not exactly hopeful when delving into this album as everything she had released thus far had left me quite unamused. However, Eilish’s debut record “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”, is simply brilliant. It is a dark and bass-heavy project featuring a number of eerily soft vocal performances that are all stitched together by near flawless production. Rarely, is the end result equal to the hype, but this album really blew me away and I feel it will go a long way in establishing Billie Eilish as one of the biggest players on the pop scene today.

The album begins with a 15-second opening skit where she takes out her braces, a gimmick that for me lands somewhere between silly and stupid. However, after that is when we get to the good stuff with the thumping track Bad Guy. The song is probably Billie Eilish’s most traditional dance pop tune, yet the execution is exemplary. What really differentiates the track is the heavy bassline intertwined with a quirky electro beat. Even the little lull that follows the chorus during which Eilish suddenly proclaims “duh!” introducing the next helping of bass is just so fun.

Xanny shows a different side of Eilish as she softly addresses the opioid crisis that that plagues much of today’s youth. Once again she complements her vocals with a resounding bass sequence that acts to emphasise her message. Her songwriting is honest and while not always profound, there is a subtle nuance to almost everything she is saying. None more so than on the ballad Wish You Were Gay where Eilish laments about unrequited love and suggests it be blamed on differing sexual orientation. However, even on these softer tracks the rumbling bass never abates and actually seems to shake and jerk the other instrumentals including Billie’s voice.

Then there is the track You Should See Me in a Crown which is an absolute banger with some aggressive synths and percussions. Across the album, and in this track especially, she showcases the ease with which she is able to transition between elements from pop, to trap and dance music. It is this combination of a variety of genres which makes almost every song unique and the album fascinating as a whole.

Given the consistent excellence of this album, I am simply going run through some of the other highlights. My Strange Addiction is positively peculiar with random samples from the widely popular TV show, The Office, layered into the song. On Bury a Friend, Billie Eilish channels her inner Kanye and uses industrial-sounding beats that remind me of Black Skinhead. Ilomilo is a cute but simple track with upbeat instrumentals.

My only real criticism is that the end of the album seems to die out a bit. But honestly after 10 songs I am not sure I could handle another dark banger, so the last few more ambient ballads act as a well deserved cool down after a thrilling ride.

Ultimately, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? is a fantastic debut and one that establishes Eilish as a force to be reckoned with.

bad guy, you should see me in a crown, wish you were gay, my strange addiction, ilomilo, bury a friend

when the party’s over, i love you, 8