Forget what you know about Lorde! The Grammy-winning global sensation, who rose to fame at the tender age of 16 with her hit song "Royals," appears to have found a new groove. Despite her start-and-stop style of dropping an album every four years and her tendency to hide in plain sight between releases, she has a knack for keeping her fans on their toes.

Each chapter in her career has been different from the previous one, and this chapter isn't breaking the pattern. Her last album, "Solar Power," urged us to turn up the volume to catch its gentle beats and hushed melodies, featuring the angelic trio Lorde, Phoebe Bridgers, and Clairo. But this time, she's cranked up the volume and decided to get comfortably loud!

Our Kiwi superstar has transformed the quiet of "Solar Power" into a bustling, louder version of herself. With the acoustic guitars of her pandemic-induced isolation replaced with vivacious keynotes and funky noises, she confidently steps into the spotlight, channeling the buzz of big cities like New York and London.

Let's be frank; the lyric content isn't for the faint-hearted. It taps into raw emotions, referencing a breakup, an eating disorder, anxiety, self-loathing, stage fright, and more. It might sound like oversharing, but it's honestly refreshing to see her confront, acknowledge, and resolve her own messiness.

This bold, new chapter starts with the intriguingly titled song "Hammer". The pre-chorus line “Some days I’m a woman, some days I’m a man” spills out even before the one-minute mark hits. This album signifies ambiguity, transformation, and the grit to start over.

Musically, she’s diverted from Jack Antonoff, her previous albums' collaborator shining light on Jim E. Stack, popular for his work with Bon Iver and Kacy Hill. His electronic-rich music is a fitting blend with the raw lyrics, rising and receding rhythmically. The album reaches a crescendo with "Shapeshifter", driven by racing beats, celestial electronics, and Rob Moose's exquisite string arrangement.

Yet, the lyrical journey isn't always encased with beats. Like in "Clearblue", it's just Lorde's vocals embracing the silence, with one autotuned to sound robotic. "Broken Glass" has backing vocals so reminiscent of Robyn that you'll be double-checking the credits! While the album possesses occasional sonic similarity with Bon Iver's "Sable, Fable," they maintain distinct identities.

At its core, this album is more than just a self-expose or autobiographical narrative. It mirrors the journey of a woman in her late twenties finding wisdom and herself. With Lorde frequently being cited as an inspiration by young female artists, it makes us wonder what ripple effect this seismic shift in her career will have.