Charli Xcx – True Romance

Charli XCX's True Romance first appeared in 2013, introducing the debut album that set out her early vision of pop as something both hook-heavy and slightly off-centre. Coming after a run of singles, EPs and mixtapes, it arrived at the point where Charlotte Aitchison was sharpening a moody synth-pop style often described at the time as “neon goth,” while already showing the pop instincts that would define the rest of her catalogue.

What still makes the record interesting is the tension between sweetness and abrasion. The songs pair glossy melodies with darker electronic textures, moving easily from the brooding pull of “Nuclear Seasons” to the bitter, catchy snap of “You (Ha Ha Ha)” and the warmer intimacy of “What I Like.” Reviews at the time picked up on that contrast, noting both the production quirks and the emotional directness running through the album.

True Romance also feels like an origin point for the Charli XCX story that followed. It includes Brooke Candy on “Cloud Aura,” draws on a cast of producers and writers including Ariel Rechtshaid and Patrik Berger, and laid the foundations for the adventurous pop approach that later made her one of the genre’s most distinctive figures. This 2026 vinyl return is especially welcome because the album has been hard to find on the format for years.

Reviews

• an album of emotionally direct, bubblegum-catchy, off-kilter songs about falling in and out of love. - Pitchfork
• True Romance is surprisingly oddball and packed with production quirks - The Guardian

Genre: Pop & Rock