Creaks, Synths and Seduction – Charli xcx goes full frontal on ‘Wuthering Heights’: Album Review

Brat summer might be a thing of the past, but Charli xcx is back. This time, she is claiming all seasons, not just summer. The reason? A hauntingly melodic soundtrack to a film that has become the TikTok and Reels rage-bait obsession of our time. There is no escaping “Wuthering Heights”. It is polarising, yet seductive. It is nauseating and all over the place, yet you cannot escape the creaks and goth-coded riffs that marinate into Charli’s synths and falsettos.

If the film’s title carries the weight of classic baggage, the album strips it down. It dives straight into atmosphere and instinct, delivering what could easily rank among Charli’s strongest work to date. Listeners whose only reference point is “BRAT” may disagree, but longtime followers, the ones who remember the “True Romance” era when indie forum boards were flooded with petitions urging her label to release more singles, know Charli has always been eager to cause trouble.


Picking up fragments from “BRAT” but twisting them into something darker, the “Wuthering Heights” soundtrack blends sweeping violins and operatic flourishes with thumping nightclub rhythms. It is a sonic cocktail that mirrors the film’s sensual fantasy, amplifying the flirtatious electricity between Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie.

The opening track, “House”, features a striking cameo by John Cale. His spoken-word presence sets the tone instantly, like a ghost entering the room before the music even begins. When the pair half-sing, half-speak the line, “think I’m gonna die in this house,” Charli’s distorted vocal treatment rides over slow creaks in the background. It is eerie, yet undeniably beautiful.

On “Wall of Sound”, Charli plays with language like a weapon, stretching words like “monolithic” to foreshadow collapse. It signals her continued refusal to stay within any template. The follow-up track, “Dying for You”, comes closest to the “BRAT” blueprint, both structurally and sonically, but it still feels like a warped cousin rather than a repeat.

Where “BRAT” was a build-up, “Wuthering Heights” is a breakdown, not just sonically but also structurally. Tracks unravel instead of climaxing. The bridge on “Seeing Things” is essentially an endless chorus loop, repeating over staccato reverbs until it becomes hypnotic. It is addictive in the way obsession often is, repetitive, irrational, impossible to shake.

What makes the album compelling is how deliberately it prioritises imagery over conventional pop payoff. This is not a concept record in the strict sense, but it functions like one. Each track is designed to serve a cinematic purpose, to conjure visuals that feel inseparable from the film’s gothic seduction. The production is layered, patient, and surprisingly restrained for an artist known for maximalist chaos.

Ultimately, “Wuthering Heights” works not only as a Charli xcx release, but also as a side project that doubles as an immersive sensory experience. It is liberating. It is fun. It can soundtrack a late-night drive, slide into a club playlist, or accompany a private spiral of romantic self-pity. More importantly, it reminds you why Charli remains one of pop’s most fearless architects, always willing to depart, disrupt, and still somehow make it feel like a homecoming.