As a forward to this piece, I wanted to include a small bit about the source material for this album: Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” is an atrocious, sex-obsessed and smut-filled fantasy that presents more like a bad AO3 fan-fiction than it does a serious adaptation of one of the most highly regarded gothic novels of the 1800s. For this reason, I found myself hesitant to analyze the film’s soundtrack album, Charli XCX’s “Wuthering Heights,” but for the sake of this publication, I decided to give it a go.
In light of the enormous success that was the hyperpop sensation of “Brat,” the richly dark subject matter of “Wuthering Heights” seemed an unusual direction for Charli to take. I mean, even if the film had been a worthy adaptation, why create something so wholly new? Why risk the disappointment of her truly dedicated fanbase of self-designated “Angels?” Well, much like David Bowie, Lady Gaga and every other artist marked by their eccentricity, Charli understands the importance of deviating from the norm. And so she took the challenge in stride, cleverly blending her signature synth-pop bravado with a symphonic backtrack of string instrumentals in this new album.
“Wuthering Heights” is a dynamic and inspired collection of tracks, marked with a Lorde-esque use of self-reflective lyricism and atmospheric sound. “Dying for You,” a song detailing the tragic nature of the relationship between the novel’s two main characters, expertly utilizes a fast-paced bass beat and heavy synths to highlight the tumult of the plot. The song is both deep and meaningful, yet it still remains an upbeat and enjoyable track.
The most commercially successful song so far is “Chains of Love,” and it is deservedly so. The track is probably the most characteristically Charli XCX-like of the 12 songs on the album, with Charli’s familiar auto-tuned vocals and instrumental urgency taking front stage. The track is thoughtful and deeply romantic, yet it moves smoothly, fueled by a unique combination of symphonic and electronic sounds.
“Altars” evokes an impressive symphony of violins and cellos, grounding the track in its gothic-era context. While the profoundly sexual themes of the song don’t exactly lend themself to a faithful representation of Emily Brontë’s novel, the song is slow and sensual, yet it still remains fun and endlessly replayable, and it is an accurate representation of Fennell’s film, so I think all may be forgiven on that front.
The song I had been most excited about was “Eyes of the World,” featuring Sky Ferreira. Ferreira is perhaps most known for her neo-indie style through tracks like “Everything Is Embarrassing” and “24 Hours,” and she brings this forth in the song. The lyrics are dark and rich with metaphor, and Ferreira and Charli blend their differing styles and vocal ranges together masterfully. It is often a fine line to strike a balance between two artists while maintaining their character and individuality, but I think this song does just that.
Charli XCX’s “Wuthering Heights” is a powerful and masterful collection of profound reflections that may actually do its source material too much justice. In fact, Fennell’s film might have worked much better if it had functioned as an accompanying film to the album, rather than the other way around. But much like what the Rolling Stones so lovingly professed in 1969, we can’t always get what we want, and perhaps I will simply be grateful that Charli has released anything at all, even if it is in conjunction with a truly terrible movie.
