Susan Style, an avant-garde synth-pop artist based in London, has delivered a debut that is as much a cinematic soundscape as it is an album. Of Taiwanese descent, Style uses her debut, Only a Broken Heart Can Hold the World, to map a 9,000-mile cultural migration from the vibrant streets of Taipei to the heart of London. Released on March 25th, this seven-track odyssey explores the friction and beauty of leaving one world behind to build another. It is an honor to witness the arrival of an artist with such a profound transcultural spirit.
“The Hope from the Dream” avoids a traditional, flourishing opening. Instead, it draws the listener in with a rhythmic, thumping pulse, a Mandarin vocal layer that beats like a heart recorded through a wall. Before a single word is sung, a low hum builds into a crisp snare hit. When Style’s vocals emerge, they are expertly double-tracked: one a delicate whisper, the other a commanding mid-range belt. The progression from minimal electronics to a full orchestral swell creates a tension that perfectly mirrors the exhaustion and inspiration of long-term ambition.
Following this is “The Song Sung by the Stars,” which opens with four piano notes suspended in deep reverb and framed by jarring silence. This silence is the song’s most crucial element; it forces the listener to lean in before the percussion anchors the track. Style’s delivery is remarkably controlled, detached, and “straight” with minimal vibrato, while the synthesizers replicate celestial “pings.” It is a track that effectively diminishes self-importance, replacing it with cosmic awe.
“All Things New” offers a brilliant irony, opening with the sound of a rainstorm and distorted, back-masked vocals that make the track feel “old” before it feels “new.” Though the lyrics are not in English, the emotional weight is undeniable. The song is gritty and uncomfortable, centered around a syncopated, jagged electric guitar riff that fights for space against a heavy beat. Style’s vocals are pushed to a raw, visceral growl in the chorus, turning this into a “get up and move” track that carries a high emotional cost.
The title track, “Only a Broken Heart Can Hold the World,” stands as the most experimental moment on the record. Lacking a traditional click track, the instruments flow with a polished, avant-garde fusion. The non-English performance only heightens the sense of vulnerability. It’s the kind of track that turns a living room into a private, meditative rave. It offers no easy “fix” for heartbreak, but rather provides it with a sense of purpose.
“Weird in a Good Way” provides an immediate tonal shift with rapid-fire, “plucked” synth sounds that ping-pong across the stereo field. It’s a playful, disorienting celebration of the “quirkiness” that often leads to alienation. The track is an anthem of affirmation, with Style’s bold, almost shouting vocals encouraging listeners to embrace what makes them stand out. With its “bubbly” bassline and crisp drums, it’s a necessary moment of lightheartedness within the album’s broader philosophy.
“For You” reintroduces tension with a liturgical organ chord and a faint metallic scraping, evoking the atmosphere of an empty cathedral. The track explores the dark side of self-sacrifice and the heavy price of devotion. The eventual entry of a distorted drum machine creates a fascinating contrast between the “sacred” and the “industrial.” Style sings in a lower register here, lending a weary, earthy quality to the exploration of human relationships.
The album closes with “A Fling,” bringing the listener back to reality with sophisticated, ambient textures. After an album focused on eternal themes, this track celebrates the beauty of the temporary. With a breezy, folk-influenced guitar and a more light-hearted vocal performance, it allows the listener to finally “exhale.”
Inspired by the depth of St. Mother Teresa’s prayer, to be so broken that one might finally be whole, this album is a breathtaking journey of deconstruction and liberation. It is a transcultural rebirth, interweaving Mandarin poetry with shimmering 80s synth-pop. Expertly mixed by Max Heyes, the record is both sophisticated and raw. There is something deeply refreshing about an artist so connected to her heritage that she can sing in her own language with such effortless fluency. This is not just a debut; it is a sonic homecoming. I am in awe of this work and look forward to our future collaborations.
I have been spending a lot of time listening to your debut album, and the intention behind the production is something that I find very moving. I have written a very in-depth article about the process of making the album, and I think you will find how your music made an impact on me.
Stream the “Only a broken heart can hold the world” album on Spotify.
Follow Susan Style here and on Instagram
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