The modern age of music allows budding talents to burst into stardom seemingly overnight— never before have artists across the globe been able to rocket their way to international acclaim at such speed. For English pop-soul singer Olivia Dean, success came as early as her debut album ‘Messy:’ two years later, the artist’s staying power rests on the shoulders of follow-up release ‘The Art of Loving.’

Given that Dean’s second album marks a significant step down in comparison to her breakout material, that might not be such a good thing.

If any listeners are finding a place in their heart for ‘The Art of Loving,’ it’ll undoubtedly be for the record’s immaculate presentation: this is, through and through, a remarkably easy listen, and one in which every rough edge has been sanded away. Dean’s vocals settle in as part of a delicate soundscape, chock full of delightful inclusions— the twelve tracks that make up the album (which is on the shorter side, clocking in at only thirty-four minutes) tend to centre themselves around echoing pianos and gentle acoustic guitars, giving the central performer all the room she needs to lead each arrangement. ‘The Art of Loving’ seems reluctant to stray from these elements— a stark contrast to ‘Messy,’ which seemed to be on a mission to constantly reinvent its own palate— but it’s no wonder when the result is so pleasant. Dean’s second album may not be overly captivating, but there’s no faulting the presentation every cut is wrapped up in.

That exterior is not a selling point in-and-off-itself though: as the saying goes, it’s no good putting lipstick on a pig. Such a praise may be a little harsh to be applied to ‘The Art of Loving,’ but the sentiment remains— the songs present across this record ultimately let down its sunny sound choices. Just as Dean seems hesitant to switch up her instrumental palate this time around, much the same could be said for her easy-going writing style, which often has cut after cut blending together. Near-every song on the album, from single ‘Nice To Each Other’ to later tracks like ‘Baby Steps’ and ‘A Couple Minutes,’ rests at a middling tempo, with vaguely pleasant chord progressions and not much else besides— really, ‘The Art of Loving’ is a listen that just happens, rather than one that really invites you along. When all is said and done, the hooks and choruses leave as much of an impression as the verses and the bridges (that is to say, not a lot).

Dean’s latest work is difficult to dive into with a critical eye: like looking at a rolling landscape, it’s easy to glaze over without narrowing in on the details. For the most part, ‘The Art of Loving’ doesn’t fail in any spectacular fashion— everything about ‘Lady Lady,’ ‘So Easy (To Fall In Love)’ and ‘Something Inbetween’ works, even if none of the songs achieve much beyond an absent-minded nod-along. The central failing of the album, then, is simply that it doesn’t really go anywhere. ‘Let Alone The One You Love’ clearly wants to bring some melancholy to the project, but its peppy brass swells and electric piano backing undo any texture that Dean herself brings to the track— elsewhere, its those dependable vocals that lend the songs some desperately needed character, even if the breathy delivery on ‘A Couple Minutes’ might not be to every listeners taste. For every misplaced idea, there are a hundred perfectly acceptable ones: perhaps the greatest challenge that ‘The Art of Loving’ presents to its audience is to actually care about its material.

As you might expect, the record’s best moments are its most memorable: whenever the adventurous spirit of ‘Messy’ returns, some residual magic from that album works its way in. ‘Loud’ is absolutely begging to be used in an upcoming James Bond film as the track uses its urgent Spanish guitar lines and building string accompaniments to create a grander, cinematic feel— even Dean herself displays a greater level of intensity on the vocal front, marking the track as an easy standout. ‘Close Up’ takes on a similarly intriguing atmosphere, even if the song’s chorus feels like a bit of a mismatch. Crucially, these songs aren’t the strongest cuts on ‘The Art of Loving’ because they’re darker or louder, and it would be quite foolish to suggest that Dean should place greater focus on these elements moving forward: rather, the way these songs jump out at you is a testament to just how safe and in-the-box the rest of the project feels.

Though Olivia Dean’s sophomore album has all the polish necessary to excel, it not too much of an exaggeration to say that that effort feels somewhat squandered: especially when compared to 2023’s ‘Messy,’ the new record comes up short by a significant degree. Any and all attempts to craft some easy-going tunes about love— and believe us when I say there are a lot to be found here— work, but few really go out of their way to earn their keep: when the writing is this plain, it’s no surprise to see ‘The Art of Loving' fading from memory so quickly.