Griff - Vertigo

Griff is a shining example of what can happen if you stick to what you know best. Since the release of her breakthrough single ‘Black Hole’ in 2020, her unapologetic pop discography has won her fans in the form of Ed Sheeran, HAIM, and Taylor Swift, recently opening one night of The Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium. Now, Griff finally brings us her debut album, ‘Vertigo’. And boy, is it worth the wait.

‘Vertigo’ is a 14-song break-up album, basically. Opener and title track ‘Vertigo’ acts as an introduction for the emotional deep dive that’s about to unfold. As much as the subject matter stays the same, taking us through the various stages of grief, Griff’s ability to keep the songwriting fresh and interesting means that there’s no point where the album is overly depressing or boring.

There is a traditional, cathartic heartbreak ballad in the form of ‘Astronaut’ – one which allows Griff to let her voice soar through the stratosphere – but there are equally moments of folk-pop in ‘Into The Walls’ and Bon Iver-esque ‘So Fast’, and even electronic shoegaze in distortion-heavy closer ‘Where Did You Go?’.

The best points of the record, though, are the ones designed for crying in the club. Leaning into bubbly dance pop, ‘Miss Me Too’, ‘Anything’, and ‘Pillow In My Arms’ are certified bangers. She’s always been able to write songs that get people moving, but Griff has kicked her songwriting and production into another gear, creating what you could reasonably argue is one of the best pop albums of recent years.

Let’s hope that Griff isn’t really scared of heights, because this album has the potential to send her to the top.