Listen along: Spotify | YouTube

From the first listen, I could already hear that this is going to be a fabulous album. A bass-heavy synth sets the tone throughout most of the record. The lyrics are infectious, and the vocals are very forward—I found myself singing along on the first listen already. The record feels very ‘80s-inspired in its instrumentals (which at times really reminded me of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” or “Smooth Criminal”, most notably in the track Freaks), the vocal style, and the mixing. When it comes to sound and lyrical themes, there’s definitely some Midwest Princess (Chapelle Roan) energy to it as well; the common themes being transformation, becoming your true self, and celebrating life.

My only gripe is that there’s not a lot of range—to my ears, most tracks sit at the same intensity throughout the album. Some more lows (e.g., in the form of a ballad), would balance the record better and improve re-listenability for me. Some songs feel a bit underdeveloped (for lack of better words) as well. For example, Sweet Surrender clocks in at just under two minutes, though it is a great pop anthem.

Favorite tracks:

• Symphony For A Queen (Track 1): An incredible opening song to an album. Bright, upbeat, and emotionally uplifting.
• Scantily Clad (Track 4): A simple song with a very memorable melody and beat to dance to.
• Freaks (Track 5): Catchy, layered instrumentals. Extremely danceable. This is the song I would send to people first.

I am very curious to see what Haute & Freddy do next, and I would be surprised if they don’t go out and make a big name for themselves in the coming years. In the meantime, this is a perfect album to celebrate the coming weekend on Friday afternoons.

Happy listening,

Max

Haute & Freddy - Big Disgrace (2026) cover art