by Angus

Manic, the third album from Halsey, is a rare thing in pop music these days. It’s an album that the singer and songwriter born Ashley Nicolette Frangipane describes as being a deeply personal record, and after a few listens, that description comes across as being an honest assessment of the material rather than a record company desperately trying to shift units.

It’s an album that covers many moods and genres, yet none come off as pastiche. There’s a melancholic, downbeat feel to a lot of the songs here, an emotional and sonic palette that makes the songs relatable by virtue of the emotions they invoke.

A small preview from Spotify

1. "Ashley" (3:06)
2. "Clementine" (3:54)
3. "Graveyard" (3:01)
4. "You Should Be Sad" (3:25)
5. "Forever ... (Is a Long Time)" (2:47)
6. "Dominic's Interlude" (1:16)
7. "I Hate Everybody" (2:51)
8. "3AM" (3:54)
9. "Without Me" (3:21)
10. "Finally // Beautiful Stranger" (3:41)
11. "Alanis' Interlude" (2:41)
12. "Killing Boys" (2:23)
13. "Suga's Interlude" (2:18)
14. "More" (2:33)
15. "Still Learning" (3:31)
16. "929" (2:55)