There was a brief moment when it seemed that Madonna would keep the title ‘Algorithm’ for her album, but in the end it was Natalie Imbruglia who claimed it, also giving it full meaning. Imbruglia’s first album in four years exposes the Australian’s concern about the influence of social networks, but above all it draws a parallel with her own “mental system” after receiving diagnoses of neurodivergence, ADHD, and OCD.
Imbruglia explains that the creation of the album coincided with “the hardest moment I’ve lived with my mental health,” although she adds: “This is the beauty of music and artistic expression. You can take something dark and turn it into light.” The aim has been to make a cheerful record and to put a bit of humor into the matter, though the result convinces only halfway.
Curiously, the performer of ‘Torn’ says that ‘Algorithm’ is the album she has most enjoyed making. That enjoyment doesn’t always translate into great songs, but it does yield a repertoire of pretty melodies, especially ‘It Sounds Like It Feels’, a dreamy style that can recall Coldplay’s more atmospheric work, and above all in ‘Beautiful Love’.
‘Debbie’, inspired by an inner monologue, conveys a pleasant jubilation and is an emotional opening to the record. In general, the album proposes slightly muted, though correct, approaches to pop’s old-school (‘Catastrophe’), electropop (‘Just Drive’), glam (‘Jesus on Mars’), or indie (‘Endgame’). Without particularly flashy productions, the songs sustain the listen thanks to their variety.
‘Upside Down’, the first single, is the most well-rounded track, offering a luminous guitar-pop sound to discuss her “inability to control” her emotions. Imbruglia explains that “fighting against the fight-or-flight mode was horrible” and that she was approaching “a critical point” with it, hence the need to seek external help. The songs aren’t a “catastrophe,” although the handclaps in this song recall another era.
In some cases you even have to look at the year to realize this album is from 2026. The robotic effects of ‘Algorithm’ sound somewhat aged, though the song stands out for its disco-funk style; while ‘Jesus on Mars’ never quite manages to convey its supposed psychedelic influence. It includes “some private jokes about my OCD,” but rather than funny it sounds half-hearted.
Nor does ‘Just Drive’ escape the inspiration from a huge track like Robyn’s ‘Dancing on My Own.’ It does, however, apply to the closing track and final single, ‘Beautiful Love’, which with its electropop euphoria captures some of the essence of that hit and is, together with ‘Upside Down’, the most polished song on the LP. The folk-pop influence of ‘Who Dimmed the Lights’, inspired by her perimenopause, reinforces that uplifting component of the project.
