We last heard from Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen back in 2023 when she released The Loveliest Time, the companion album to 2022’s The Loneliest Time. Since then her life has undergone certain changes, most notably with marriage and motherhood, and she has been able to reflect on how she wants her musical career to proceed. The success of her breakthrough track Call Me Maybe back in 2012 might have suggested a rapid elevation to the top tiers of pop stardom but her career has taken something of a different path since those early days, something evidenced on new double album Day And Night.

At 24 tracks in total, it’s undoubtedly an ambitious offering, with each half being respectively entitled Day and Night and representing a different side to her music identity (Day is intended to reflect her pop sensibilities while Night is focused around a more dance-centred sound). It’s clear from the off that the album is influenced more by her marriage to American musician/producer Cole MGN rather than her new role as a mother, and finds her generally in a good place (maybe that second life event could inspire a follow-up at a later stage).

The first half is arguably the stronger of the two, and gets off to a flying start with the opening trio of tracks. After All is a breezy, gossamer introduction, one of many songs to feature a sensual feel reflected in the lyrics. “Why don’t you take your shirt off for me now? I want to take your photograph like that” she teases. She has called it her “own little daydream of domestic bliss”, a running theme throughout the album. Habits Of Creatures occupies similar ground, a loungey and luxuriant R&B outing where she suggests “we could sleep in for the third time this weekend”.

Versailles, meanwhile is inspired by Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette and strikes a hedonistic note as she declares “I wanna be good, I wanna be bad, I wanna have fun, I want to feel desperate”. The explicit abounding of love showcased on these tracks could easily act as a deterrent to enjoyment but there’s actually something endearing about the honesty and purity of feelings she expresses. On Wires feel less successful however, possessing a certain sense of scale but ultimately coming across as a little overblown.

Blue Skies and Burning Heart see her quickly get things back on track however. Both are unimpeachable pop gems with emotional pull, the former as refreshing and uplifting as you’d expect from the title while the latter is a mellifluent, radio-friendly moment. Next, Wild Child and Good Fine Alright see her slow things down before Something Tragic sees her address a figure from her past, including some unconvincing profanity, which feels jarring given the overall theme of positivity that exists elsewhere on the album. “I remember everything you did to me, I fucking hate you,” she delivers in her soft, sultry tones over a brisk beat.

Second half Night opens with Never Let A Good Thing Die, which establishes a distinct change in style with its sparkling dance-pop immediacy and 4/4 beat. There’s still smoothness amid the energy however, as she comments alluring how “you dance close, I’m into that”, extending the seductive feel laid down earlier. The later stages also possess some nice little sonic details as the song slows down and fades out of focus. Amalfi Coast shows how there is a degree of overlapping of sound between the two sides while Patience Power Passion features some striking electro manoeuvrings.

Next, two of the album’s bangers are introduced with Don’t Leave Me On The Dancefloor and Motivation. The former was inspired by a trip to see ABBA Voyage in London, Jepsen later resolving to make her “own ABBA-esque pop song”. It may not be quite as gold-plated as some of those penned by the Swedish megastars but it’s still an album highlight. Motivation meanwhile ricochets and rotates pleasingly, Jepsen explaining ahead of the album release how it is “our little family anthem”. Lyrics such as “we go hard in this family, I’m in love with my family, we’ve got room for insanity” suggests a musical equivalent to “you don’t have to be mad to live here but it helps” but it feels harsh to be too critical amid the overall upbeat positivity.

Later, Near Or Far and Hold Me To The Light maintain the overall electro, clubby aesthetic but maybe feel less certain on their final destination. The final stages offer some moments of nuance and discretion with Diver and That’s Just Me but there are some dips elsewhere like on No Labels, I Love You. Given the double album nature, some imperfections and fluctuations in quality are perhaps to be expected but overall Day And Night is a confident and accomplished release with much to enjoy.