We’ve time and again stated our case for Charli XCX: the 22-year-old is responsible for some of the biggest hits of the past two years, has a livewire confidence that never gets old, and is long overdue for superstardom. That fame may finally come with Sucker, her forthcoming second album, and “Gold Coins,” its bold new single, finds the singer dreaming of the decadent life such success would entail.
The song is slower than previous singles—still punk-pop and irresistibly catchy, but not quite as propulsive. That’s not a bad thing, as it gives XCX some opportunities to flaunt her powerful voice over a fuzzy, distorted guitar riff. The lyrics are an ode to excess, with talk of “gold offshore bank accounts and diamond blue palm trees,” and I can’t help but hear them as a response to Lorde’s “Royals”—the whole song reads as a carefree celebration of the rich, opulent lifestyle Lorde rejects. Sucker is out Dec. 16.
