After Future Nostalgia made Dua Lipa one of the biggest stars on the planet, the pressure on Radical Optimism was considerable. The good news is she hasn’t panicked or overcomplicated things. The better news is that the songs are excellent.

Illusion is an immediate classic. Houdini showed her instincts for a lead single remain impeccable. And the deeper cuts — particularly Falling Forever and These Walls — reveal a songwriter willing to go somewhere more vulnerable than the party anthems suggest.

The production, handled largely by Kevin Parker of Tame Impala, gives everything a woozy, sun-drenched quality that suits Dua’s voice perfectly. This is not a reinvention — it is refinement. And sometimes, that’s exactly what’s needed.