Styles has only delved further into the indie pop world with this project, following the lead of his 2019 and 2022 releases Fine Line and Harry’s House. 

Based on the “disco” part of the name, fans could expect the electronic and funk that Styles brought with synth and pulsating keyboards on these 12 tracks. However, it is not without its softer side. 

The former One Direction heartthrob grapples with his fame in “American Girls” and “Painting By Numbers.” He notes that it is a “gift to be noticed” but also that he faces “a lifetime of learning” to follow instructions, seemingly from the public, which he conveys through metaphor of painting by numbers. 

He also draws attention to the mundaneness of his fame and occupation with “American Girls.” The music video shows Styles recording a music video featuring flashy stunt scenes and multiple vehicles. The audience sees that stunt doubles are the main actors in the video and that Styles is just going through the motions and feeling little satisfaction for the few parts of the video he is in. 

Hidden behind some dramatic instrumentals are even more dramatic words. Styles makes a call to action in these tunes. An overarching theme of personal growth can be seen in almost every song.

Some songs may be more dance oriented and repetitive such as “Ready, Steady, Go!” and “Pop,” reflecting the “occassional disco” promised by Styles.

However, the majority of the cuts urge the listener, or Styles himself, to look inward such as “Are You Listening Yet?,” “Taste Back,” and “The Waiting Game.” 

Subtly kept in the fourth track position, “Are You Listening Yet?” may have the most obvious message of the album. It speaks of mantras as much as it is one itself. Styles is unrelenting with his subject in this plea to face the music (literally). He uses increasingly powerful percussion to overwhelm the listener as he questions if they hear the voice inside their head. He comes at them equipped with harsh truths that even though they might be aware of their own problems, with the help of the voice in their head, they are not yet making the change. He repeats that the subject is “all out of choices” and is forced to not just hear that voice but to “listen” to it.

Nearly dragging the listener by track seven, Styles presses his audience again with the line “You’ve got to sit yourself down sometime,” in “Season 2 Weight Loss,” after it becomes increasingly clear to Styles that they cannot make up their mind. 

Widening his lens and speaking further outward, Styles approaches his targets with a more forgiving tone in back to back tracks “Taste Back” and “The Waiting Game.”

Styles highlights a specific problem conveyed by his subjects. In “Taste Back” he questions if the past romantic interest who has come back into his life is approaching with growth or just out of loneliness. “The Waiting Game,” pokes at a subject who never seems to take accountability or grow from experiences but only plays the waiting game and expects the change to come on its own. 

Arguing for the use of Kiss in the album’s title is the romantic orchestral “Coming Up Roses.” Styles recognizes issues in a relationship and owns up to his faults while making himself vulnerable and attempting to grow closer with the person. His voice is aided by a piano and a number of stringed instruments. The interlude of building strings seem to vocalize his petitions as he emphasizes “there’s only me and you.”  

The “kissing” promised in the album’s title ultimately seems to translate to more of a passion than just a romance. In this case, the project accurately fits the bill of the name’s instructions. Styles cares about his subjects and speaks to them personally, as they represent himself in different facets. He pushes for personal growth and emotional maturity as well as connection. 

The record is passionate through and through, while the disco and dancing are a bonus. From heavy drums and vibrant electronica to powerful strings and piano keys, the songs grab the listeners and hold them close– for both discos and slow dances.