Since becoming the first group to win Britain's The X Factor in 2011,
Little Mix have proven themselves worthy of the crown, championing a swaggering girl-power attitude that's equal parts
Beyoncé,
En Vogue, and
Christina Aguilera. Marking their ten-year anniversary as a group, they released their first-ever greatest-hits collection with 2021's
Between Us. Featured here are all of their previously released hits, along with some fan favorites including "Wings" off 2012's
DNA, "Black Magic" from 2015's Get Weird, and "Shout Out to My Ex" from 2016's
Glory Days. We also get collaborations like 2016's "No More Sad Songs" with
Machine Gun Kelly, 2015's "Woman Like Me" with
Nicki Minaj, and their 2017 remix of "Reggaetón Lento" with
CNCO. Other tracks included the '80s synth pop-influenced "Break Up Song," the kinetic "Move," and the dancehall-infused "Hair" featuring
Sean Paul. There are also a few newly recorded tracks that find the group pared down to a trio following the departure of member
Jesy Nelson, who left in 2020. Of those newer cuts, we get the poignant title-track anthem that finds them ruminating on all of the triumphs and struggles of longterm friendship. There's also the sultry dance number "Love (Sweet Love)" and the self-empowerment anthem "No," both of which fit agreeably alongside their past hits. While
Nelson's swaggering soprano will be missed, these songs should work to reassure fans of their future as a trio.
Between Us represents
Little Mix nicely, working as both a summation of their career thus far and a starting point for whatever is to come. ~ Matt Collar