Since the one-two punch of her late-2010s mainstream conquests
1000 Forms of Fear and
This Is Acting,
Sia locked into prolific auto-pilot mode, churning out track after track of distinctly "
Sia" anthems for multiple soundtracks, guest appearances, and one-off singles. She even released a Christmas album in 2018 and formed the supergroup LSD with
Diplo and
Labrinth in 2019. In 2020, solo singles such as "Saved My Life" and "Together" began creeping into the mix. Swelling with inspirational power and feel-good energy, these songs laid the groundwork for her ninth full-length,
MUSIC: Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture. Bound to
Sia's directorial debut film endeavor, the album contains few surprises and dwells alongside
Fear and
Acting in
Sia's post-alternative indie era, where explosive emotions reign, beats pulse and pop, and vulnerability and introspection are transformed into rallying cries for motivation. While there's nothing here to match the visceral chills of "Alive" and "Chandelier" or the utter heartbreak of "Big Girls Cry" or "Broken Glass,"
MUSIC at least meets expectations of what a
Sia album should be. Rousing opener "Together" bounces with joy, an empowering singalong anthem for all ages, while the alluring "Hey Boy" (and its bonus sibling featuring Nigerian superstar
Burna Boy) struts like a missing piece from
No Doubt's
Rock Steady. Additional energetic highlights include
Sia's umpteenth collaboration with electronic dance producer
David Guetta "Floating Through Space"; the breezy island-kissed "1+1" and "Eye to Eye"; and "Play Dumb," a hypnotic blend that sounds like old-school trip-hop twisted with G-funk production. For those seeking more emotional drama, the
Dua Lipa-assisted "Saved My Life" bleeds its feelings over a midtempo sway as
Sia repeatedly pleads to a savior to "save my life." Meanwhile, the title track and the cinematic "Beautiful Things Can Happen" are sweeping sonic reminders of
Sia's early days (think 2004's "Breathe Me"), as the powerful "Courage to Change" pushes her inimitable vocals to new heights as she declares "You're not alone in all this...Standing together, we can do anything" through a storm of frenzied piano and pounding percussion. Altogether,
MUSIC is another mighty addition to the Australian pop maven's 2020s discography, especially when evaluated on its own merit. However, since it's inextricably linked to the eponymous movie -- which generated plenty of controversy and public outcry for its portrayal of a non-verbal autistic woman by
Sia's longtime public stand-in, neurotypical dancer Maddie Ziegler --
MUSIC might suffer from that burden of connection, which is a pity because it's actually quite good. ~ Neil Z. Yeung