Avalon Emerson & The Charm tear up the dance-pop rule book on Written into Changes

It’s been a colourful journey for the Californian electronic pioneer so far, even on 2023’s debut album & The Charm the sheer scale of ideas radiating from the album were mesmerising, if that was Emerson in cocoon form then there is no doubt that Written into Changes is a blossoming, and a victory lap for an artist that has grown into a fully realised songwriter, which was never ever going to wobble on uncertainty

Playful, emotional pop that captures the feeling of an artist in motion, The album is a memoiristic album and the product of five years of constant travel – including multinational DJing and moving from Berlin to Los Angeles to New York – Written into Changes reveals itself not just geographically, but over time.

The project sparks into life with “Eden” which harnesses the street sounding funk of The Stone Roses “Fools Gold” with Emerson’s soft delivery and furious honesty. It’s blissed out and is the sound of all our halcyon days.

What instantly becomes noticeable is Emerson’s paint brush like approach to sonic texture, across “Jupiter and Mars” and “Happy Birthday”, both tracks have a distinctly different sound but due to such a tight understanding of harmony and groove, the album is able to just glide, as gentle as a brush-stroke. Speaking about the former track, Emerson shares: “‘Jupiter and Mars’ is the feeling of drinking a cold beer in the shadow of a big wave. Sometimes a salty end is inevitable, but it doesn’t make a beach day any less warm and lovely.”

The reverb drenched title track “Written into Changes” stands proudly as an album highlight, playful synth lines are underpinned by some of the strongest lyrical work that Emerson has debuted so far, “Seeing you around this time, I’ll go out of my way not to drown, this time”.

You also get the sense that Emerson aside from the love of making music itself, has a keen enjoyment of just seeking out new music herself, which might explain why a track like “How Dare This Beer” reverberates influences as wide ranging as Kitty Craft and Give Up era The Postal Service.

Even in its final straight, Emerson knows how to end a project on a poignant flourish, “I Don’t Want to Fight” is a deeply introspective track, and is the clearest example of the jump that she has made from producer to matured songwriter.

There is so much to love about how closer track “Earth Alive” can be credited with pioneering a form of ‘twee-tronica’, a wonderful string accompanied track brings this project to a fitting close. Avalon Emerson is doing everything required on Written into Changes to tear up the dance-pop rule book.