Caroline Polachek — Home

After the release of her 2019 album Pang, fans and critics alike anticipated (and hoped) that Caroline Polachek’s evolution as a progressive pop artist was just starting. Her attention to detail, thorough production skills, and memorable melodies were already strong at that point, but her untapped potential still seemed so high even after releasing what many considered a very solid project. The earliest elements of the rollout for her 2023 album Desire, I Want to Turn Into You signaled that these hopes were being fulfilled, and that Polachek took time to grow and channel her artistic vision to a new level. On Desire, Polachek’s best album yet, we watch an incredibly intelligent artist unpack and tangle with one of human’s most complicated state of emotional longing.

The project’s opening track and lead single “Welcome To My Island” establishes a playful mood, but its lyrical content serves as a self-aware overture that tackles Polachek’s internal monologue head on. “Pretty In Possible” establishes many of the project’s sonic motifs without a clearly-defined structure, and its strings in the back half introduce a melancholy that we’ll continue to see throughout the project. “Bunny Is A Rider” is a personal highlight for me — backed by a playful summertime instrumental and slick bassline, this track serves as an anthem for independence and unabashed individuality. Its layered vocals and whistled deliveries are carefully balanced without becoming overbearing. These playful vibes continue onto “Sunset", a timeless flamenco-inspired bop that introduces a flare to this project that differentiates it from many of the mainstream pop albums being released right now.

“Crude Drawing Of An Angel” has a cleverly-written, slower melody that leans on its multiple uses and meanings of the word “draw”, which signals Polachek’s creativity as a songwriter. She has described this song as “scorny” — both scary & horny — which is an apt description, but is also one of the more forgettable tracks on the album. “I Believe” is dedicated to the late SOPHIE, and pays homage to the great pop divas that have continued to inspired Polachek over the years. Her vocal performance on this track is continually impressive. I didn’t expect “Fly To You (feat. Grimes and Dido)” to work as well as it did, but it incorporates its features unique perspectives on the idea of closure very fittingly. “Blood and Butter” is a psychedelic track that again pays tribute to Polachek’s inspirations, and is one of my favorite ethereal songs on the project.

“Hopedrunk Everasking” and “Butterfly Net” both slow the album’s pace, but not to its detriment; instead, these tracks give a more intimate and revealing look into Polachek’s softer side. “Butterfly Net” is a particularly emotional narrative that ponders our ability to recall and conjure what we love most about those we care about even when they are not present. “Smoke” is a metaphor for denial, or the choice to intentionally downplay clear obstacles that we face, and paves the way for the album’s brilliant closer. “Billions” is a wonderful, all-encompassing final track that serves as the selfless counterpart to the opener’s selfish outlook. This track reassesses many of the themes find throughout the rest of the album, such as sensuality, abundance, individuality, and connection, ending with an amazing children’s choir that fades to water to conclude.

Desire, I Want to Turn Into You is a very unique project both sonically and thematically. While many of its tracks follow conventional pop structures and standards, the intricate details and subject matters discussed are what differentiate it and set it apart as a special project. All of these successes stem from Caroline Polachek’s creative genius, vocal talent, and emotional maturity. I can’t wait to hear where she goes from here.

Favorite tracks: “Welcome To My Island”, “Pretty In Possible”, “Bunny Is A Rider”, “Sunset”, “I Believe”, “Blood and Butter”, “Butterfly Net”, “Smoke”, “Billions”

SCORE: 8/10