Rex Orange County’s new album, “WHO CARES?” sets the stage with a plethora of musical genres appealing to several audiences, giving fans a taste of something new.

Alex O’Connor, who is more commonly called Rex Orange County, is known mostly for his indie/alternative style of music. The little features of orchestral instruments add another layer of texture to the music that tickles the brain — it’s a combination that’s unexpected but works well. Electric guitars and basses aren’t normally paired with cellos and violins, but Rex Orange County did, and he did it well. He has played with classical music in his songs before such as the song “Apricot Princess” from the 2017 album with the same name.

Most songs in the album begin and end with a light orchestral melody, allowing the songs to flow from one to the next. Some songs have introductions that start with a flowy legato feeling with a bass line that is brought in, letting the tempo establish itself. Other songs like “IF YOU WANT IT” have orchestral aspects, but the song starts at a faster tempo right away rather than leading into it.

“Open a Window (feat. Tyler, The Creator)” is a great example of this. It has one of my favorite bass lines in the album and I think the tambourine adds a nice touch. The orchestral chords sustained throughout the song make Tyler, The Creator’s verse really unique as well.

At 11 songs and almost 35 minutes, this album is on the shorter side, but I think it’s quality over quantity. Each song tells its own story and going through the album in order is like one big storyline. It starts with O’Connor needing to find himself and is maybe a little heartbroken. Then, when it gets to the fourth song, “AMAZING,” we get the lyrics, “She’s over in the corner and you can’t ignore her.”

In “7AM,” O’Connor sings the lyric, “I’m gonna be a better man someday,” so I’m guessing this is him running into some relationship problems. The next song, “THE SHADE,” makes it seem like those relationship problems are resolved — but then we have another turnaround with “SHOOT ME DOWN,” where I think the relationship ends. “WHO CARES?” is where O’Connor seems to try and brush off the heartbreak.

“WHO CARES?” actually doesn’t feature an orchestral intro, as it goes straight into the first verse. The song is different enough from the rest of the album that I think it’s a good choice for a closer. My interpretation of the song is about keeping those who actually care about you close, and letting go of those that don’t. I think it leads the album to end on a happy note (pun intended).

Overall, I would give this album an 8/10 and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys mixing their music genres!