In a bold and unexpected move,
Halsey seizes their artistic crown on the creative triumph
If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power. Teaming with
Trent Reznor and
Atticus Ross, they pack a lifetime of emotions into a ticking time bomb of angst buffered by the
Nine Inch Nails duo's unmistakable production, which deftly serves
Halsey's whims and allows the artist to outshine not only them, but a team of famous faces from the
NIN orbit. When the project was first announced, the combination of global-pop-star-plus-industrial-wizards seemed a bit incongruous. However, they've succeeded in bringing out the best in each other, with
Reznor and
Ross setting the stage for
Halsey to finally indulge in her alternative rock side, and
Halsey giving the guys an excuse to flex their mainstream pop fancies.
If I Can't Have Love... isn't simply "
Halsey singing over
NIN songs," but rather a true artistic union, where familiar
NIN touchstones -- ominous atmospherics, minor-key piano tinkling, techno glitches, and distorted riffs -- support
Halsey's visceral explorations of pregnancy, childbirth, life, and death. Along the way, they delve into the sacred and profane, face mortality, and reconcile vulnerability and empowerment. No strangers to the darker side of the human experience,
Reznor and
Ross match the self-loathing, regret, and pain coursing through
Halsey's soul with production that stirs tension, frustration, and rage. From the opening piano waltz "The Tradition" to the sparse guitar thrumming of the morbid ode to her daughter "Ya'aburnee" (an Arabic phrase meaning "You bury me," as in "I'll die first so I don't have to live without you"), it's clear that this is a purposefully un-pop version of
Halsey. Delivering on the promise of the rock-leaning 2019 single "Nightmare" and the explosive collaboration with
Bring Me the Horizon from the
Birds of Prey soundtrack, "Experiment on Me,"
Halsey launches headfirst into pop-punk (the bouncy "Honey"), industrial (the thrillingly cacophonous "Easier Than Lying"), and distorted sludge (the gothic horror showcase "The Lighthouse," an engrossing tale featuring whispered vocals from
Reznor). Additional standouts include "Girl Is a Gun," which features neon synths and bubble-pop beats courtesy of
Meat Beat Manifesto's
Jack Dangers, and "Bells in Santa Fe," a gorgeous showcase of
Halsey's poetic lyricism, commanding vocals, and the studio sorcery of
Reznor,
Ross, and
the Bug's Kevin Martin. The album's big moment lands toward the end with the enthralling showstopper "I Am Not a Woman, I'm a God," a throbbing culmination of the core trio's power as a sonic unit. Throughout,
Halsey maintains full control of this cinematic concept album, reducing all-stars such as
Lindsey Buckingham (on the "Landslide"-esque acoustic break "Darling"),
Dave Grohl ("Honey"),
Pino Palladino and
Kerriem Riggins (on the rhythmic "Lilith"), and Dave Sitek (on the '90s alt rock affair "You Asked for This") to mere studio hands. With
Reznor and
Ross supporting such a weighty artistic vision,
Halsey takes a huge leap forward with this course-changing opus, a revelation that finally presents their most authentic representation of self. ~ Neil Z. Yeung