Since then, fans have clamored for Lorde to return to the swooping, alternative synth-pop that defined her early career, which means the stakes are particularly high for Virgin. She has answered the call with an album that isn’t trying to capture something from the past,

On her fourth studio album, the singer-songwriter turns to glitchy, minimal electronic arrangements to explore various elements of her life, including body-image issues, insecurity and family dynamics.