There’s a subgenre of music out there that I like to call “infinity pop.” Based solely off the tunnel scene in Perks of Being a Wallflower, these are the songs that fill you with an overwhelming sense of freedom. Usually synth-heavy, balancing dreamy vocals with powerful bass, infinity pop romanticises our most mundane spaces and embraces us into a haven; one where the unknown can fill you with such unparalleled joy. Kids At Midnight falls directly into this echelon.
Like any solid infinity pop catalogue, the Australian artist has mastered the art of creating songs that cast an oasis around them. Sitting among the likes of M83, The Wombats’ Greek Tragedy, The Naked and Famous’ Passive Me, Aggressive You, these are tracks that are meant to be blasted driving late at night, on a deserted beach in the early hours of morning, or on a summer’s afternoon when the heat has put you into a slight daze. They make life feel so overwhelmingly beautiful. In the case of Kids At Midnight’s debut album, she chooses the setting of a teen movie.
In times like these, we need music to create beauty for us. Lucky for us, Kids At Midnight has just released her stunning debut album All I Ever Wanted Was Your Love.
Following a long line of gorgeous singles and EPs, All I Ever Wanted Was Your Love arrived in high anticipation from fans across the world. Countless bedroom production sessions, ’80s dreamscapes, and hours on Ableton later, and the album was finally released, standing as definitive proof of the artist’s talents.
“After a couple of years of promising this album and life and love drama getting in the way, writing and producing these songs and then finally getting to the place I could let them go,” the artist (a.k.a Jane Elizabeth Hanley) explains. “It feels so amazing to have it ready right now! Not just to share with my new fans from my song being on ‘Never Have I Ever’ (which has been crazy), but as a slow-motion rom-com running embrace to the people who’ve waited so patiently for its completion.”
All I Ever Wanted Was Your Love as an entity is infinity pop at is finest. Produced for the sole purpose of soundtracking a dreamy teen-romance, the record is refined, evocative, and visualises the complexities of love with every synthesised note it plays.
From the ethereal tides of Gravity to the pulsating beats of Mary Queen of Scots, Hanley weaves an emotional introspection and clarity throughout her work that compels you further into her sonic universe. Each song is narrative, poignant, and deeply rich in its output. The artist has been able to smooth lyricism into a lush garden of possibility, spinning every sonic element into an opportunity for further visualisation.
It was, therefore, only fitting for the record’s second track Boys Like You to be soundtracked in an actual teen flick, Netflix’s 2019 series Never Have I Ever.
There’s no denying that All I Ever Wanted Was Your Love is a triumph in every conceivable way. It achieves what music should; allowing listeners to expand and enrich their surroundings, a moment’s escape from the world.
With her global fanbase continuing to grow, we are on the edge of our seats waiting to see what Kids At Midnight achieves next.
Grab your copy of All I Ever Wanted Was Your Love here.
