An Album A Day... Feeling Nostalgic

Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia

Alright, I’m getting a little sick of this random album generator. Four days in and I still have seen an album pre-2015, it’s kind of getting on my nerves. I even checked really quickly to see if the random album generator even had older albums, and the very next album generated was Neil Young’s 1972 record Harvest. Before we jump into today’s album, the publication of this series on gatekeep! will be a little different moving forward. Since I seem to be crowding up that lovely front page, I’ll be compiling multiple days into a couple weekly posts moving forward. Now, if you want to keep up with my daily writing, I will be publishing all my reviews daily on my own Substack profile, so feel free to keep up over there (shameless plug). With that out of the way, let’s dive deep into the glorious —

January 4, 2026 // Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia

Okay, I know that I was complaining about the generator earlier, but it cooked up a good one today. This is the first album of the series that I already knew all too well going into this. In fact, I called Future Nostalgia the best pop album of 2020 when it came out — and I still stand by that statement to this day. Still, six years later, you can hear every hit on this thing just about anywhere, with “Levitating” and “Don’t Start Now” being staples at weddings and sports events alike (not sure why I said those two are alike, but you get the picture… they are everywhere). So what makes Dua Lipa’s second release so remarkably successful?

Well, the answer is in the name: Future Nostalgia. The futuristic elements of polished production and modern synthetic melodies are seamlessly integrated with the pop music nostalgia of 80s-disco-esque bass licks and infectious funk-inspired grooves. The titular introduction jumps right into this blend, kicking off the record with Dua Lipa’s impressive vocal performance and ability to soar across the amusing instrumental compositions. It’s bound to get stuck in your head with its catchy, sing-a-long chorus and unforgettable melodies… which is something that can be said for just about any song throughout the tracklist. Throughout the duration of the record, there is no shortage of catchy tunes that invite you back for more, whether it’s the darker dance-y “Physical,” upbeat techno-like “Hallucinate,” or the lofty atmospheric “Cool.”

So what keeps this from being a 10/10 certified classic? Well, as much as I absolutely adore this album, it doesn’t quite stick the landing. The first 9 tracks are absolutely outstanding, some of which being some of my favorite pop tracks of the last decade — but sometimes final interactions are just as important as first impressions. “Good In Bed” and “Boys Will Be Boys” conclude this album in a rather interesting way. Musically, I love these two tracks, the former having a bouncy piano rhythm that matches the upbeat vibe of the record and the latter with a fitting climatic conclusion to Future Nostalgia… but some nuance could really benefit these two. While I’m all for the meanings of the song, “Good In Bed” being a rather humorous disconnect of relationship and sex and “Boys Will Be Boys” being an empowering track for women and the immaturity of boys, but they feel so jarring compared to the rest of the record. I think the biggest example of this lies in the finale: “I know that there will be a man around to save the day / And that was sarcasm, in case you needed it mansplained.” It just doesn’t fit with the theme of Future Nostalgia that was so focused on upbeat charisma, and these final moments just miss the mark. Once again, nothing wrong with the songs themselves, but it is slightly disappointing to see a rough landing after smooth sailing.

But enough of the critical negativity, this album is still a fantastic jam. It’s one of those records that you can just throw on repeat and enjoy just about every song every single time. Hopefully this album generator will give me an older one soon, but at least it absolutely nailed today’s pick and reminded me of just how masterful Future Nostalgia really is.

9/10

Favorite Track: Hallucinate

Least Favorite Track: Good In Bed

Final Thoughts: I have found myself saying “Dua Lipa with DaBaby” for no reason far too many times since that version was released.