Dua Lipa writes towards a disco-themed liberation; there’s a certain bravado that finds itself within her lyrics, which unabashedly intoxicates an audience. One quick stream of ‘Future Nostalgia’ will have you in a hallucinogenic haze, even within the confines of your own isolation. Though, ‘streaming’ her music seems to be an entirely inadequate description: there’s more of an experiential undertaking involved, to which one can’t help but ascribe to. 

If ‘Future Nostalgia’ stands in place of a night out, ‘Hallucinate’—the most recently released single—is the 2 am, inebriated high-point. It’s anthemic for anyone whose perception of reality has been temporarily altered in a moment of ecstasy, seemingly infinite. It’s meant to echo off the walls of the most eccentric nightclub, or through the crowds at Glastonbury. 

Of course, the track was written prior to the pandemic, not quite meant for extended periods of isolation. Yet, in a moment where we find ourselves inextricably grounded to a current reality—one which leaves much to be desired—there’s something to say for a ‘banger’. ‘Hallucinate’ asks that you leave your current corporeal state behind, and transcend into a more free, polychromatic realm. (We’d like to think Kylie Mingoue is there).

The video, released today, does the same: Dua Lipa transports herself into the second dimension, becoming a fully animated caricature of herself. It’s anachronistic, going back to Studio 54 aesthetics, and entirely nonsensical—though that’s the point. There are no presupposed limitations, no standards to adhere to, and no restricting hierarchies. There’s only a pop-funk playground, which one can’t help but revel in. 

Immerse yourself in the video below: