Pixey – Million Dollar Baby

We’ve already seen Pixey undergo a few different artistic metamorphoses ahead of her debut album. Across a comprehensive discography of EPs, she’s given us sunny Britpop, ethereal dreampop, and more glittering hooks than it’s possible to count. Now, for her first full-length outing with ‘Million Dollar Baby’, she’s decidedly upscaled, and it’s a total ride. 

From the very first assertive bassline bestowed upon us by ‘Man Power’, Pixey has left dreamy behind. A staccato vocal line, stomping melodic descents, and a general sense of swagger continue to emphasise the new Pixey – but there are definitely still hints of woozy warmth in the layers and grooves. Across Million Dollar Baby, there’s a trend of combining her soft, hazy history and the bigger magnitude moments: ‘Damage’ is a slow-burner, packed with spoken-word verses and slick delivery, but not without smooth, intimate production. ‘Bring Back the Beat’ is totally compelling, saturated 90s groove that just commands visions of neon festival lights and dancing with your arms round your mates, and a sense of confidence and command that when Pixey says ‘let the music take control’, you’re already there – but it still has the same happy-go-lucky buzz she’s always had. 

The best bits, though, are tucked away later in the album waiting to explode in vivid, soaring colour. ‘Oxygen’ is an anthemic pop masterpiece following in the footprints of the title track, bubbling over with pacey bridges and pulsing synths that pause, drop back, then cascade back into action for the album’s most euphoric moment. ‘Love Like Heaven’ is similarly huge, flowing from somber King Krule-ish guitars into a joyful crescendo of a chorus, reminiscent of the golden age of indie-pop during which Pixey released her first EPs. It’s deliciously nostalgic, but put together with the expertise and gloss that sets the rest of Million Dollar Baby apart from her releases so far. 

Million Dollar Baby feels like the most natural evolution Pixey could possibly have had – all the heart, and homage to her predecessors and inspirations is still there, but she’s mixed it up into a package that’s distinct. The album was conceived of and created following a subarachnoid brain haemorrhage that nearly killed her – so the sense of renewal, the way Pixey sounds so forward-looking despite her nostalgic sonics and genre-spanning references, is all the more poignant. ‘Million Dollar Baby’ doesn’t really give a specific vision for what’s to come, and nor does it need to – it’s just ambitious, curious, and bright. 

8/10

Words: Ims Taylor