Everyone knows PinkPantheress for her collaboration with Ice Spice, “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2”, but PinkPantheress, the princess of UK Pop, is so much more. PinkPantheress made a name for herself on TikTok with snippets of songs “Pain” and “Break It Off” fetching millions of views. Slowly she began to release more songs and in 2021 Pink released her debut mixtape To hell with it. Since the mixtape is not even twenty minutes long, fans desired a full-length album. As Pink’s following continued to grow throughout 2023, rumblings of an album started materializing, and on November 10th, she released her debut studio album Heaven Knows.
Through her combination of synths and beautiful flowing lyrics, PinkPantheress indulges in a mood and range only she is qualified. The first track, “Another Life” opens with an instrumental fit for a vampire and transitions into a dancey fast-paced bop that leaves no room for her or the listener to breathe. Based on the opening track, Pink has picked up where she left off on the high-speed To hell with it. Right before the first-minute marker on the second track “True romance,” the beat dilutes into a crunchy, techy beat, perfect for the arch of the song. The first few tracks display the immense improvement in production, and how well Pink was able to tap into the sound she desired. During my first listen to the album, the aspect I noted the most was how the production felt much crisper and finer than her past work.
The album truly finds its voice on the quick and fresh fourth track “The aisle.” Pink’s voice here is truly addicting, as she never misses a beat. The chorus may be the fastest-moving part of the entire album, and yet it is the easiest to keep up with. The next track, “Nice to meet you” featuring Central Cee, is the last track before the overall sound of the album hits a wall. “Nice to meet you” feels like a classic UK banger; Central Cee’s verse is short but pronounced, and the two find a groove, unlike the rest of the features on this album. In a 2000s-style music video full of dance and colorful movement, the video for “Nice to meet you” is the perfect representation of the album.
The first five tracks had me very excited for the back half, however, I left the album a little disappointed. No, the rest of the album isn’t bad, it is just not nearly as consistent and interesting as the first half. Excluding the final two tracks, the best songs of the back half including, “Internet baby (interlude)” and “Blue” are overshadowed by short and uninteresting songs like “Bury me,” and “Feelings.” The only way these songs are consistent is in the sound, as a few of them sound very similar. It is not unusual for a debut album to have a dud or two, and luckily, the flops on Heaven Knows are not enough to take away from the album as a whole. Through the ups and downs of the back half, Pink’s vocals continue to dominate and are invariably well-matched with the synth-infused instrumentals.
PinkPantheress confirms and illustrates her maturation as an artist, producer, and writer on the final track of the album. Technically, “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” with Ice Spice is listed on Spotify as the final track, however, it is not the true album closer and is simply there for marketing purposes. The closing track “Capable of love” was released weeks before the album’s release, and quickly became one of my favorite songs of 2023. The track captures everything I admire about her approach to creating music. Between the lovely bridge and loud chorus, it is clear Pink is in her bag (and not the one she is known for wearing during her concerts.) The climax of the song comes right after the second-minute mark and is the strongest part of the album, thanks to the passionate lyrics paired with an electric guitar and immaculate drum programming, creating a sound only PinkPantheress is challenging today.
In the end, Heaven Knows provides the perfect introduction to the world of PinkPantheress. The range of beats and varying vocal tones manufacture addictive songs that make listeners keep coming back to the British star. In the end, only heaven knows what Pink is capable of, and where she is going next.
Rating: 7.7/10
