Sabrina Carpenter has been in the back of my mind since her days on “Girl Meets World” on the Disney Channel. While I was a little too old for the show, I recognized the nostalgia in a reboot of “Boy Meets World”. After leaving the Disney circuit, Carpenter has seen large success opening for Taylor Swift. Carpenter’s showmanship has been a highlighted aspect of her performances with feminine Y2k aesthetics. My social media has been flooded with her outfits and performances of her other hits such as “Feather” and “Nonsense”. Her vocals are saccharine, breathy, and clean, and “Espresso” may be her best song yet.

This track is dripping in nu-disco. The instrumentals are fun and full of wah-pedal-infused guitar riffs. It sounds akin to Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky”. Synth keys give the track an elevated retro feel and a modern take on classic 70s disco sound with an almost crystalline sense. The pre-chorus of the song features a different type of synth that reeks of the 80s and I can’t get enough. Funky bass lines are subtle, but give the song a danceable rhythm. The drums in the song play traditional disco rhythms but have accents of 808 drums.

Lyrically, this song is about obsession. Carpenter harmonizes over her comparison to espresso’s caffeine in the way that it keeps you awake. While suggestive in her lyrics, her fun play on words keeps things light such as “Move it up, down, left, right, switch it up like Nintendo.” Her voice sounds relaxed almost like she’s gossiping to someone about the guy she has been seeing. Her voice is smooth and sweeps up and down the notes, almost pulling you in different directions. The falsettos throughout the song riff up and down whilst maintaining a light and airy feel.

I would argue that “Espresso” may be an early introduction to the sound of the summer. It has a similar energy to “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles which made its debut in 2019. It gets you pumped for an exciting day at the beach or a solo concert in your bedroom whilst feeling warm and bright. Although still early in her career as a singer, Carpenter is full of promises. I cannot wait to see what she does next.