Review: Selena Gomez’s ‘Revival’

Sophomore albums are notoriously tricky propositions, but Selena Gomez’s second solo venture, Revival, breezes through to the finish line — the dance floor — with 11 nearly impeccable tracks that skip from the 1960s to the ‘80s to right this minute.

On Revival, Gomez continues her foray into a heady mix of electronic dance music pop accessorised with rapping from A$AP Rocky, writing from Charli XCX, soulful pianos, steel drums, and her own chameleon voice, showcasing her pipes in the piano-accompanied Hands to Myself and with warm, rich vocals in the serious yet jubilant Revival.

The first single from the album, Good for You, her biggest hit to date, is a subtle electro tune. But the song’s flow suffers with A$AP Rocky’s bewildering (if trendy) interlude — a minor hiccup on an otherwise seamless album. Same Old Love starts off with a whimsical ‘60s feel, but morphs into a punchy bass dance track.

Body Heat is on odd saxophone infused Latino drum dance floor scorcher, but it’s Survivors that true trance-house addicts will fall for. Kill Them With Kindness is an approachable dance track with added bells and whistles (literally), while Sober brings ‘80s synthesisers to the fore.