Romy Madley Croft, 34, is the lead singer and guitarist of The xx, but it took me a few listens to this glorious solo debut, “Mid Air,” to realize that – but it doesn’t matter. 

She’s come out (of the closet), but she comes out as one helluva amazing dance and club artist on this album.

She’s introspective and extroverted. The beautiful piano-based opener, “Loveher,” has lines like: “Hold my hand under the table. It’s not that I’m not proud in the company of strangers. It’s just some things are for us.” And then: 

“Lover, you know, when they ask me, I’ll tell them. Won’t be ashamed, no, I can’t wait to tell them.”

It’s gorgeously crafted over a pumping, electronic bass line and lays down the marker of this, oh, so very much being a club album. Madley Croft has described it as a “celebration, sanctuary and salvation” of the queer clubs and dance floors that made her champion a sound she calls “emotional music to dance to.”  

The whole theme of this album is emotional dance music. The inner label of the pink vinyl copy of the LP, which I was able to nab while on a week’s visit to London recently, states boldly:

“ARE YOU EMOTIONAL? DO YOU WANT TO DANCE?“

Following the opener, the juices flow – and flow. “Weightless,” – co-produced by Madonna collaborator Stuart Price (see “Confessions on the Dance Floor“), follows with her singing with a growing, growing groove: “And I didn’t believe I deserved to feel this high up above the ground. And when she looks at me, I hide how I feel.“

But I think that she’s figured it out.“

She takes an emotional turn with a track like “The Sea,” co-written by Fred Again.., with Ibiza vibes swirling all around, as she laments about a lost love she fell in love with by the sea, who didn’t return the same feelings. “She says “Don’t play that game with my heart and don’t say it’s love if it’s not.””

On one of the album’s highlights – its lead single from November 2022, “Stong,” she co-produces with Fred Again.. (and Stuart Price), and here, the album… really takes off. 

“You don’t have to be so strong,” she pleads… “Let me be someone

You can lean on. 

I’m right here.”

This is all sung into a fantastic club beat; it takes you back to the mantra of this album: “Are you feeling emotional? Do you want to dance?“

So, at this point, we have two tracks following, “Twice” and “Did I” which played together sound like one uplifting roar of the danceable. It takes a few listens to appreciate, but I honestly am at the point where I need to put this album on shuffle because I’m so used to it. These two tracks show that. First, the gradual rise of “Twice”…

“Who am I to deny
The shivers running down my spine
And how I’m dying inside
Every time we say goodnight?“

Then, “Did I“?

“Did I do what I’ve always done?
Leave the room with the fire on
Did I, did I, did I?“

The very soon-to-follow “Enjoy Your Life” makes this album.

Romy: “When I heard the line, “My mother says to me enjoy your life” by Beverly Glenn-Copeland, I was speechless. Those few words felt like the most simple and disarming sentence. Ever since I was 11, I’ve been aware of and drawn to the phrase, life is short. I’ve felt inspired by people who I’ve seen react to this by trying to see the positives in life, even when things are going wrong and times are hard.“

I wish I could say the song is an incredible club anthem, but that leaves incredibleness with a bad taste in my mouth. This will be my song of 2023.

If you don’t like this song, I’m sorry.

She swings back into introversion with lyrics like: “Ooh, somebody tell me why.
I’m scared to close my eyes. And I’m too afraid to watch the news.”

But then, an opening: “Ooh, dancing on my own again. Anxiety, my old friend. Since why would you try somethin’ new?“

And then: “I made a promise to my mother. To stop runnin’ from my problems. “Oh, now,” she said to me,

“Enjoy your life“

It becomes an amazing, uplifting, and incredible song for anyone to dance to. Whether you are a Baby Boomer, Generation X, Y, or Alpha, it doesn’t matter. Just dance and love life.

We finish with the lovely, three-minute “She’s On My Mind“, which is simply, a turnaround from the opener “Loverher“, with lyrics such as: “My mind just can’t explain it. No, I can’t find the words. But I don’t care anymore. Think I’m in love. With her.”

She doesn’t care anymore. No more worried about holding hands under the table. “I don’t care anymore.“

Don’t care anymore.”

The album is then done.

Romy Madley Croft, after The xx’s other members, has finally produced her own debut album, and the result is superb.

9.75/10

Chris Garrod, October 2nd, 2023