Audren – Think Freedom

You may agree or not, but we’re living in times when we’re oversaturated with so many music releases that sometimes is nearly impossible to grasp them all. Unfortunately, in so many cases, social media and streaming platforms act as tastemakers, and judging by the crowd, they’re not doing a good job. Although there are many music outlets delivering good music, we can’t say that all of them deliver unique works that may resonate with the broader audience. Somehow, they all sound repetitive, predictable, and bland, often releasing music that has already been recorded and released by the greats. But, as is usually the case, there are singer-songwriters whose songs stand out from anything you could hear on the contemporary music scene. Audren, an English solo artist based in London, exemplifies how contemporary pop should sound in 2026. With “Think Freedom,” her highly anticipated full-length album released on May 15th, she breaks all the rules, shapeshifts the boundaries, and proves that pop, when done right, can still sound fresh, unique, innovative, and exciting, like the first time you’ve heard it on the radio. And while contemporary pop dominates the most, as Audren incorporated all the fundamental elements throughout the entire album, there are more genres involved. Depending on the song’s ambiance and mood, Audren has implemented some of the finest properties borrowed from rhythm and blues, soul, groove, funk, jazz, soft rock, and other similar styles in order to elevate this listening experience on an entirely new level. Maybe some readers would think there are way too many styles involved, but do not worry, Audren blended them all together cleverly, thoughtfully, wisely, and skillfully, without spoiling the initial sonic direction. The artists rarely strike a balance between the complex nature of blending various styles together and easy listening qualities that many pop albums have, but Audren fully understands that for a good album, you need to experiment, break all the rules, and sometimes, go beyond comfort musical zones in order to deliver an album that stands out from anything you could possibly hear nowadays. And these are the moments where this skillful singer-songwriter shines the most, because her songwriting, composing, arranging, and producing abilities are as exceptional as her vocal, sonic, and rhyhtmic performance. She employs many styles, techniques, approaches, and directions like no one else, while staying loyal to the roots of contemporary pop, and you’ll love the way she crafted these magnificent songs.

But, “Think Freedom” is not only about contemporary pop. Quite the contrary, beside all those mentioned music genres, you’ll notice how this material levitates towards late eighties and nineties pop sound. And believe me, this album is packed with some serious hits that could easily become the next big thing on the music scene. Each composition arrives, resonates, and strikes like a potential radio hit. Whatever style she explores, Audren’s vocal performance covers it with such precision and finesse. Her soulful, passionate, sincere, confident, and powerful voice acts as a centerpiece here, elevating everything to new heights, commanding attention, and guiding listeners on an epic journey through the expansive sonic universe. Although all the instrumentations sound ridiculously good, “Think Freedom” wouldn’t sound anything alike without her voice. The way she balances low, mid, and high notes with such precision and finesse while decorating all the segments and instrumentations goes beyond comprehension so many times. Even if you pick any song randomly from this collection, her voice will captivate you with sincere emotion and complexity. Songs like “A New Page,” “The Good Road,” “Smile, People Smile,” “We Want Funkey!,” “A Beautiful Move,” and “Big Boomerang,” carry a comprehensive amalgam of catchy, memorable, engaging chord progressions, riffs, harmonies, melodies, themes, and other sonic maneuvers delivered eitheir on clean, jangly, angular or tastefully distorted guitars. Whether ringing with those clean notes or choppy, funky progressions, the guitars are the heart and soul that perfectly pair Audren’s voice. There are also beautiful, captivating synth layers, pads, harmonies, melodies, themes, and leads, offering more depth, detail, complexity, and lush ambiance. It’s nearly mindblowing how all those layers articulate together without overwhelming each other. The rhythm section packs a lot of detail, groove, power, pace, and other qualities that make “Think Freedom” such an incredible album. You’ll hear how all those equally impressive basslines rumble beneath the guitars and synths, offering more than necessary heaviness, clarity, and depth while acting as a binding element between the mentioned instrumentations and rhythmic patterns. The drums tastefully and seamlessly switch from regular to odd-time tempo through cleverly and tastefully assembled, flawlessly performed beats, breaks, fills, accentuations, and other percussive acrobatics. Each rhyhtmic pattern decorates and elevates these songs, making them even more groovy and appealing to the ears.

“Think Freedom” is a definite contemporary pop masterpiece, crafted by one of the best singer-songwriters ever seen. Audren is an exceptional artist whose creativity shines through emotional songwriting, brilliant composing, tasteful arranging, and modern production. Her music levitates from modern to retro pop with such precision and finesse without losing consistency, and all of that while her lyrics and music tackle all the senses. “Think Freedom” exemplifies how pop, when done right, can still sound fresh, unique, innovative, and exciting, so you should immediately place this gem on your music radar if you love your pop music as emotionally resonant, soulful, groovy, and captivating as it possibly could be. Do not miss it!