Hit Me Hard and Soft by Billie Eilish

Review written by PhoePhoe

I’m going to start this off by saying that this isn’t my first time listening to Billie’s music. I actually considered myself a fan when she released one of her hit albums, When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? I enjoyed the dark elements, concentration in vocals, everything! What wasn’t there to appreciate? However, I wasn’t hitting it off with her newer music which eventually led up to me straying away from her music. Since then, I’ve only heard little bits of her new music in TikToks and short clips, but it still wasn’t enough to grasp my attention. While there’s nothing wrong with experimenting with your overall vibe in your songs, I just felt like Billie was better off sticking to her older, more unsettling, style. I genuinely just felt like she lost her spark, her vocals along with the creepy atmosphere was just perfect. And I stood by that opinion, that was until I discovered her newest album.

Hit Me Hard and Soft is an album that was released just a few months ago. Her songs quickly circulated the moment her album dropped, which admittedly intrigued me. Before I knew it, her music was everywhere. I hadn’t touched the album, yet I already had numerous lyrics whirling in my head and hummed the tunes. I couldn’t escape it! Despite all of that, I needed an extra push to really dive into the new album, which is where my sister came in and suggested I listen to it. Now it was back to me listening to Billie Eilish again.

And let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised. Even though each song was very unique and had their rhythms ( sometimes completely different from one another), the album had a lovely flow and did not make it incredibly out of place. I had the impression that I was being guided through her most intimate feelings and thoughts the entire time. It combined techno with a throbbing bass, quick tempos, and electronic melodies while remaining faithful to her dark alternative pop sound. Additionally, it simply jolts you in all directions. While it’s something common in her music to be sending her listeners through an insane trip, I found this to be something entirely new. Perhaps because of the melancholic approach.

I’d have to say “L’Amour de Ma Vie” is one of my favorites because of how unexpected, yet exciting the tunes were. The song started off with a more indie pop vibe when I was listening to it, then all of a sudden it changed to a fast-paced EDM-style song at one point. It caught me off guard because it initially captivated me with a gentle beat before completely changing course. I thought it had switched to a completely different tune because of how abruptly it shifted. Billie’s way of demonstrating her feelings in this song also made me feel less lonely, in a way feeling connected to this.

Billie’s third studio album features a variety of instruments. Strings, Drums, Synthesizers, Piano, Violin strings, Electric Guitar, and Keyboard. I can tell that these were carefully selected when thinking about the mood Billie wanted to set for her album.

There were actually quite a few aspects that made me enjoy this album so much. The melancholic “Chihiro” returns to the fast-paced vibe of the first single, “Bellyache,” but instead of using acoustic guitars, it uses large, pricey synths to compensate for the lack of a true chorus. A number of multi-part suites seem to be merely revisiting well-known material. It’s very nostalgic, referencing her old material which made me appreciate it so much as an old listener.

The best part is that there doesn’t seem to be a straightforward meaning for any of the songs in this album, so it’s entirely up to listeners to interpret it anyway they’d like to. Of course there are some sneaking suspicions many of Billie’s fans have according to her past relationships, but that’s beside the point. In the end, if her fans want to picture their own unfortunate past relationships with her music, she’d feel a sense of accomplishment. She’s mentioned it in a couple of interviews before, showing a clear understanding of other people that have been through similar situations as her and encouraging her fans to continue connecting with her music.

Her music always delved into storytelling, I feel as if her strongest in that has been with this specific album. Billie does break new ground by exploring relational turmoil with a newfound sense of maturity. “Wildflower” for example, focuses on her experience comforting a girl after a difficult breakup, then having a romantic relationship with the person that girl broke up with. I love to write and enjoy analyzing other’s writing, so not really a shocker that I’d have a liking for “When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” A lot of the time it’s thoroughly difficult to get listeners to understand the story of each song while also having them appreciate the instruments and vocals itself, but she really nailed this! I was easily able to tell what direction the stories were going while walking through this bittersweet journey with her.

While her music wasn’t as dark anymore, everything about this album truly took my breath away. I could talk forever about the breathtaking beats that really complimented her euphonious voice. Overall, the entirety of her album is beautifully orchestrated and the composition left me sitting here alone with my thoughts. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this moved about any albums that I’ve come across, up until now. I had my doubts when I first took a look at the album, but I can say with most certainty that I was not disappointed. Guess they are correct about never judging a book by its cover! I would honestly recommend that anyone give this album a listen, even if you aren’t a loyal Billie Eilish listener, because it was a crazy ride for me.