Harry Styles is back. And he’s gone to the club.
Fresh off a four-year hiatus in which the English singer competed in the Berlin and Tokyo marathons, began a relationship with Zoë Kravitz and sported some Paul Mescal-esque Adidas short shorts around London, Styles has announced a new album and, with it, released its first single, “Aperture.”
The album, set to release on Mar. 6, is titled “Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally,” and this new track is most certainly a fantastic way to start. Taking advantage of the current prominence of electronic hyperpop in today’s music realm, the track is Styles’ upbeat and hypnotic love letter to those who have made his career what it is: his fans.
The song begins with a pulsating synth backing and a staccato electronic drum beat, a relatively new facet for the rock- and acoustic-leaning artist. Thus, Styles establishes out of the gate that this is a different era for him, not only in appearance and dating status but also in artistry.
The track is vibrant yet relaxed as Styles not only details his journey with vulnerability and expression but also his ultimate acceptance of that idea, repeating the line “We belong together” throughout the song. These themes are furthered in the accompanying music video, in which Styles is chased by an unknown man obscured by sunglasses. The two fight for a while throughout an abandoned building, down a staircase and through the hallways. But eventually, as the song comes to a close, Styles’ character seems to change on a whim, releasing his tensions and anxieties and joining the mysterious figure in an upbeat, expressive dance.
The name of the track itself also follows this theme of release. Aperture is a photography term for a measure of the amount of light that a lens will allow in while taking a picture. This is Styles’ mantra: he is letting go and finally letting the light in.
But the song is not only a cathartic release of the soul; it’s also fun. Following in the footsteps of hyperpop legends like Lorde, Charli XCX and Troye Sivan, Styles cultivates the ultimate club vibe. With pounding bass and explosive beat drops, the track fits in perfectly with its electronic forefathers.
But is it a disco anthem, as the album title may suggest? No, but when has Styles obeyed convention anyway? From his sparkly sequined jumpsuits to his absurdly fantastical music videos, Styles is no stranger to making a statement.
And make a statement, he certainly has. In the midst of his four-year hiatus, Styles left many desperate fans taking their woes to Instagram comment sections and Reddit posts, wondering if he’d ever come back. But rest assured, he is back and seems to be here to stay.
Mar. 6 is fast approaching and if the album is anything like this new single, one can be certain that 2026 might be the year for Harry Styles.
