Harry Styles has generally maintained a recognisable sound throughout his career. Once a humble baker in Cheshire, he made a break into the music industry by participating in the 2010 series of X-factor. He was put into One Direction, who truly need no introduction, achieving global success, beating records originally held by the likes of The Beatles. They captured the hearts of millions across the globe with their romantic lyrics and classic boyband sound, blending rock and pop into recognizable tracks like 'What Makes You Beautiful', and 'Live While We Are Young'. Like the majority of pop music, they were easy on the ear, catchy and bound to get stuck in your head. After their official split in 2016, Harry remained within the pop-rock genre, with classic drums and guitar strings permeating his self-titled debut album Harry styles (2017), and subsequent albums Fine line (2019) and Harry's house (2022).
Thus when Aperture and its synthetic make-up were heard by fans and general listeners alike, they were surprised by Harry's deviation from his usual sound. One established fan recalled how "on the first listen [she] needed to dance to enjoy it", commenting on an initial struggle to engage with this new, electronic sound. These feelings of unsurity present the extent to which Harry has deviated from the sound which attracts his established fandom.
This divergence appropriately aligns with the recent rise of underground, electronic dance music within the popular cultural conscience of our time. Prior to release, listening parties in select cities initiated whispers on the internet that the track sounded like Charli XCX, immediately attaching this new sound to the incredible success of BRAT. The latter album truly brought electronic dance music to the fore of popular culture in 2024: the hotter months were claimed 'BRAT Summer', the 'Apple' dance took over tik-tok, and fans were smoking cigarettes in an effort to replicate the hedonistic, party-girl lifestyle Charli glamorously portrayed. The momentum of her album has undoubtedly stirred an electronic fever which since its release, has spread far and wide through every branch of the music industry. Irish DJ Kettama has recently experienced a ferocious rise to fame, frequently selling out shows across the country, whilst Fred Again has headlined Reading and Leeds, the prominent UK festivals that mark the most popular music of the moment.
Aperture undoubtedly compliments this musical movement with oscillating, electronic textures that build and pulse throughout the track. However, by appealing to current musical trends, Harry risks echoing the money-driven values infecting the mainstream music-industry, as the track ensure sales and thus jumps on a money-grabbing bandwagon. The timing of his electronic turn creates a subtle, yet poignant reminder of the music-industry's greedy underbelly, and loss of authenticity.
Harry Styles however is by far, one of the most prominent, firmly-established names in the legacy of 21st century music. Already holding an excessive level of celebrity, he is in no desperate position for a money-grab. Thus, this bold, electronic he has taken is most likely an authentic desire for a fresh turn in his career.
Because although he has stayed relatively within a pop-rock realm, there is also an undeniable maturity marks the music emerging from Harry's solo-career. His albums are deeper, more thought-provoking than what One Direction released. They're also more dynamic, his melodies from track-to-track differentiating from the typical, safe monotony that permeates most pop albums. His personal sincerity and dynamism has shown listeners that Harry is unafraid of musical change and experimentation.
On another level, Harry's use of electronic instruments is not completely new. Although Aperture was unexpected, autotune and electronic keys make frequent appearances throughout his solo-music, particularly in Harry's House (2022). The unmistakeable melody of the 'As It Was' chorus is purely synthetic, making the track plainly electronic at it's core. Thus the deviation he has taken from his norm cannot be wholly attributed to an exploitation of dance-music's new-found popularity.
He's proven himself to be an authentic artist, taking time between albums, producing high-quality music with every release. Instead of a lazy exploitation of the current musical trend, Aperture signals and celebrates the recognition dance music is getting, whilst paying homage to Styles' consistent musical fluidity that marks him the incredible artist he is.