This summer, we saw a monumentally popular “brat summer” inspired by Charli XCX’s sixth studio album “BRAT,” On Oct. 11, she released an even bolder and gutsier remix album titled “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat.”

The album is innovative, each track is significantly different from its original version and features different artists, including Ariana Grande, Lorde and Kesha. Across all 17 remixes, Charli delivers  a confident and carefree twist on the original smashing success of “BRAT.”

The album opens with “360 featuring robyn and yung lean.” Though the remix keeps a similar backing track to the original, it has an entirely different melody and lyrics. 

The song’s lyrics emulate the party girl vibe of “BRAT,” with Robyn singing,

 “I’m the realest ever, yeah // That’s what I’ve been told // Killin’ this shit since 1994 // Got everybody in the club dancing on their own.” 

The remix on “360” is the perfect opener to this album and its confident nature hypes listeners up to hear the rest.

The fourth track, a remix on  “I might say something stupid,” features The 1975 and Jon Hopkins. The song is much slower and carries a sadder tone than other songs on the album. The lyrics delve into feelings of self-loathing and self-doubt. 

“I get so cold (so cold) // I don’t know if I belong here anymore” and “I’m famous, but I’m not quite.” 

The vulnerable nature of the song is powerful and emotionally charged, even though it is a very different vibe from the rest of the album.

The “Talk talk featuring Troye Sivan” remix is next on the album, one of the strongest remixes on the album. With more suggestive lyrics than the original, Sivan’s verse is an artful addition that elevates the original while staying true to its themes of attraction and desire. 

Both singers express excitement about physical intimacy while keeping themes of needing attention, no matter how it is given.

‘Talk to me in French, talk to me in Spanish // Talk to me in your own made-up language // Doesn’t matter if I understand it // Talk right in my ear // Tell me your secrets and fears.” 

The remix is an artful depiction of feelings of connection and anticipation in the early stages of a relationship. This track is addictively catchy with its new verse and is a remix truly done right.

“Girl, so confusing featuring Lorde” is the 10th remix on the album. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Charli explained an incident in 2014 where she was mistaken for Lorde by an interviewer, which propelled feelings of jealousy as the two singers had similar looks and rose to fame along similar timelines.

However, the two collaborated on the “Girl, so confusing” remix and explored all the mixed emotions and confusion that come with being a girl. It felt like their subtle feud was being propelled or manufactured by the public. 

The remix shuts down ideas of girls continually being pitted against each other while powerfully clearing the air between the two singers and “work[ing] it out on the remix.”

The “365 featuring shygirl” remix is a high-energy party girl anthem. The beat is louder, stronger and faster, intensifying the original in the best way. The lyrics are suggestive, yet confident. The song is intense, catchy and perfectly emulates nonstop party girl confidence.

“Back of the booth, bitch, guest list, VIP // Party don’t start ’til a bitch come find me.” 

The “Guess featuring Billie Eilish” remix, is a playfully flirtatious take on the original. The lyrics are intentionally provocative between the two singers. In her opening verse, Charli embraces her sexuality and confidence. Eilish openly acknowledges her attraction to Charli in her verse. 

“Charli likes boys but she knows I’d hit it // Charli call me if you’re with it.” 

The end of the song invites listeners to “guess if we’re serious about this song,” interactively adding on to its playful nature.

From beginning to end, this remix album is a must-listen for those of us wishing to extend our “Brat summer” into the fall and brings the energy in a new-and-improved take on “BRAT.”

Edited by Ava McCluer | amccluer@themaneater.com 

Copyedited by Ella McGuire and Hannah Taylor | htaylor@themaneater.com

Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com