by Elizabeth Braaten (@elizabethbwords)
London indie outfit Girl Ray are back — and from the sound of it, they’re having more fun than ever before. The group recently released their highly-anticipated third full-length offering Prestige, a groovy, disco-pop concept album that serves as a love letter to ballroom culture. The sparkling twelve-track project is a joyous outing from top to bottom, brimming with energy, bliss — and showcasing a new side to Girl Ray’s ever-evolving sound.
Poppy Hankin (vocals and guitar), Sophie Moss (bass), and Iris McConnell (drums) make up Girl Ray, a British trio hailing from North London. While their first two efforts, Earl Grey (2017), and Girl (2019), found their roots in genres like indie and R&B, the group began to toy with the idea of crafting a disco record while on tour in Europe during 2020. Hankin had just watched Pose, FX’s award-winning television series set against the backdrop of late 20th century ballroom culture. Missing her girlfriend while she was away, Hankin laid down a few demos inspired by the show. While recording, she envisioned Girl Ray performing the tracks at Prestige, a fictional nightclub of her own creation. Further inspired by recent nu-disco projects like Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia as well as artists like Jessie Ware and Róisín Murphy, the group wrote and recorded twelve high-energy songs, which would go on to become Prestige.
The album’s unrelenting enthusiasm is contagious, with joy, happiness, and euphoria on full display for what feels like the entirety of Prestige’s 41-minute duration. “Hold Tight,” with its funky bass line and cheerful riffs, is a bubbly ode to love filled with poppy declarations of doe-eyed affection (“Talking shit in the grass would be just fine/My baby, your light is as warm as the sunshine”). Meanwhile, the ever lustful “Wanna Dance” is filled with witty flirtations and lush infatuation (“Now you wanna dance, but dance is all we do/If you wanna play, then let me see you move”).
“Everybody’s Saying That,” the album standout, is an explosive disco track defined by swaggering guitar riffs reminiscent of Dua Lipa’s 2020 smash hit “Levitating” and a tongue-in-cheek hook that seems to wink at you knowingly from across the room (“Everybody’s saying that you could’ve done better, but I really wanna end up with you”). “Give Me Your Love,” Prestige’s heavenly finale, delights with angelic vocal harmonies, colorful keyboard riffs, and adoration that isn’t scared to wear its heart on its sleeve (“Keep me in your sights, I’ll keep you first/Tell you every night how much you’re worth, Give me your love”).
Prestige was co-produced by Poppy Hankin and Ben H. Allen, a Grammy-winning producer known for his work with M.I.A., Animal Collective, and Christina Aguilara, among others. It’s a glamorous record that dazzles, shimmers, and glistens at every turn. The result is a project that never stops feeling like a celebration — of ballroom culture, falling in love, and all things beautiful.