The 1975’s fifth studio album “Being Funny In A Foreign Language” has successfully wound its way into my heart as a beautifully fun, expressive, and repeatable album. The new release has tightened the band’s grip on its flourishing fan base and doesn’t seem like letting go any time soon.

The sound of the whole tracklist feels reminiscent of the band’s 2018 album “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships,” namely the track “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You),” in the synth-y dance pop feel of the piece. “Being Funny In A Foreign Language” builds off of that mood and brings a higher maturity to its sound with more integration of acoustic instrumentals. 

“Happiness” and “Looking For Somebody (To Love)” set the album racing on a collision course for cutesy, 80s reminiscent dance parties. I want to coat my eyelids in glitter and bounce around my room to the ever-so-flashy “Looking For Somebody (To Love.)” 

Groove seems to be the operative word for this album as it slows down, only minorly, with the hip-swaying tack “Oh Caroline.” This one, like others on the album, feels like it should be played in a dance hall with a disco ball and lights of saturated colors, speckling the dancers and performers alike in a technicolor camouflage.  

“I’m In Love With You” leaps forth smack dab in the middle of the album and gleams as an adorable screaming, jumping anthem for any age. The track builds from a funky little guitar riff introduced as the song opens up and then takes the listeners’ hand to guide them down a glittering fairytale path that arrives at the final chorus that bursts at the seams.

I challenge you to not dance or move to this song, because it simply implores you to do so with the utterly syncopated rhythm and adorable lyrics. Frontman Matty Healy croons about desperately wanting to share his feelings with you throughout the song, finally exclaiming “I’m in love with you,” in the chorus. It’s enough to make any former Tumblr girl weak in the knees.

The album moves on to transport the listener to the last call for drinks at a smokey dive bar in the track “All I Need To Hear.” The smooth, melancholy piano track and stripped down instrumentals lend the song that vibe and they play off the emotional lyrics.

Healy truly seems to be entering some mushy gushy love-filled era with the tooth achingly sweet lyrics of this song as stark proof. “Oh, just tell me you love me ‘cause that’s all that I need to hear,” beautifully captures the internal struggle that so many feel when they desperately need someone’s affection.

The lyric is a convincing attempt at sincerity from a painfully sarcastic frontman known for taking jokes too far. Healy tends to be known for taking irony to a point of no return, most notably, through his presence on social media. 

It feels like The 1975 has matured somewhat past the pre-pubescent, angsty faux-wokeness they have been known so well for. They have delivered a fun-loving, raw album with a little bit for everyone, and a whole lot for established fans.