This Valentine’s Day, Emerald Fennell released a new film adaptation of “Wuthering Heights,” based on Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel of the same name. The movie has sparked significant controversy, from its casting to costuming and writing. Basically, everything has people upset.
In the midst of all this contention, not much has been said about the soundtrack by Charli xcx, appropriately titled “Wuthering Heights.” Even if you think you haven’t heard this album, I promise you’ve probably heard at least one part of at least one song somewhere on social media. If you’ve heard the line “I think I’m going to die in this house” on Instagram or TikTok, that’s from the song “House featuring John Cale.” You don’t need to look up the rest of the song; that’s really the only singing in it.
The songs on the album are very on-the-nose. I’m fairly certain that you could tell just by looking at the titles that this is a “Wuthering Heights” soundtrack. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but I would appreciate a bit more subtlety.
Since this is a movie soundtrack, there are inevitable limitations. It needs to fit the theme and overall tone of the film, and make sense in its world. This album is the perfect example of that. Nothing feels out of place for a “Wuthering Heights” adaptation; specifically, it fits Fennell’s atmosphere.
The whole album has a dark and gothic emo-pop sound, which suits “Wuthering Heights.” It’s very “running through the mist on a grassy hill,” mixed with what I can only describe as “I’m in love and losing my mind because of it.”
“Dying for You” is my favorite song. It has more of a pop vibe in the instrumentals, and Charli xcx sings it a bit faster, which adds energy. While I probably won’t be putting it on for a dance party with friends, it’s definitely something you could dance to alone in your room.
I want to be clear, I enjoy Charlie xcx’s voice and I really love the instrumentals, even if they sound incredibly similar across nearly every track. It makes it easy to drift away from the music when everything bleeds together. I listened to the album twice and enjoyed the overall sound, but it’s missing something that draws you in and keeps you there.
The reason that “Dying for You” works is because it has a slightly different feel than most of the album. “Seeing Things” and “Out of Myself” don’t work for that same reason. It’s difficult to explain because, again, they fit with Fennell’s particular version of “Wuthering Heights,” but not necessarily the original story. They’re still fun songs, with a more electronic pop tone than the rest of the album.
Ultimately, the album does exactly what it’s supposed to do. It accompanies Fennell’s version of the story while also standing on its own. I think it’s safe to say that more people enjoyed the album than the actual movie, which says something for both. It’s worth listening to at least once.
