Troye Sivan - She's the Best (2026)
A carefully produced but rather underwhelming alternative pop album, combining nostalgic electronic textures, intimate vocals and occasional dance rhythms, without enough memorable melodies or convincing musical developments to make a lasting impression.
With She's the Best, Troye Sivan moves away from the immediate dance-pop energy of his previous album and explores a more introspective musical direction. The record combines influences from 1990s house, trip-hop, dream pop and soft rock, alternating between club-oriented tracks and quieter compositions about loneliness, desire and emotional connection.
The production is probably the album's strongest quality. There is an interesting variety of electronic textures, atmospheric synthesizers, subtle guitar arrangements and nostalgic dance rhythms. Some of these elements work particularly well, creating a pleasant atmosphere that occasionally recalls the more sophisticated side of 1990s alternative pop. Unfortunately, the quality of the production often exceeds that of the songwriting.
“Love So Big It Hurts” is my favourite track. I appreciate its more vulnerable atmosphere and the relatively direct way it approaches the album's emotional themes. The melody is appealing, and its concise structure makes it more effective than several of the longer compositions. It's one of the few songs where I find the emotional intention sufficiently convincing to compensate for the understated arrangements.
“Party” offers some welcome energy with its house-inspired rhythm and references to Madonna, although its familiar musical ideas limit its originality. “Le Boy” and “Canada Dry” contain some attractive atmospheric passages, while “Embarrassingly” provides a pleasant acoustic contrast. I also appreciate certain electronic textures on “FF”, even if the composition feels somewhat repetitive and doesn't develop enough to maintain my interest throughout.
My main problem with the album is the lack of memorable songwriting. Many tracks rely heavily on atmosphere, production details and restrained vocal performances, without offering particularly distinctive melodies or engaging instrumental progressions. The songs often sound pleasant while playing, but very few leave a strong impression afterwards.
Troye Sivan's vocal delivery is another limitation. His soft, intimate singing suits the more contemplative compositions, but it frequently feels too subdued. I miss stronger emotional contrasts, more expressive melodic lines and moments where the vocals could bring additional intensity to the arrangements. Even the more energetic tracks rarely achieve the excitement or immediacy of his strongest earlier material.
The album also struggles to establish a convincing balance between its different influences. Moving between house, trip-hop, acoustic pop and dreamier electronic passages creates some variety in sound, but not necessarily in musical impact. Several tracks seem more interested in recreating a particular aesthetic than developing their own distinctive identity. The result is a collection of individually pleasant moments rather than a particularly coherent or memorable listening experience.
Ultimately, She's the Best is a relatively disappointing album despite its polished production and occasional interesting ideas. I appreciate the willingness to explore different sounds and more personal themes, but the restrained performances, uneven songwriting and limited melodic appeal prevent me from connecting with the music. It's not an unpleasant record, and there are a few songs worth revisiting, but the complete album rarely rises above the level of agreeable background listening.
60/100
❤️ Favourite track: “Love So Big It Hurts”
+ Polished production with some attractive electronic textures
+ Interesting combination of nostalgic dance sounds and intimate atmospheres
+ A few enjoyable moments, particularly “Love So Big It Hurts”
– Weak melodic impact and too few memorable compositions
– Excessively restrained vocals and limited emotional intensity
– Uneven songwriting, repetitive arrangements and a lack of distinctive musical ideas
Genre: Alternative Pop
Country: Australia
Final Verdict: 60% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 644th / 755
Highlight: Love So Big It Hurts
Made me think of:
Robyn
George Michael
The xx
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