Music
Blue Neighbourhood
Aussie YouTube dreamboat makes a warm, fuzzy pop debut
Hundreds of millions of YouTube views aren’t enough for Troye Sivan: The Australian vlogging phenom wants to be a pop star, too. This dreamy electro-pop debut is a strong start, as Sivan croons lyrics that could come from a John Green novel in soothing tones over lush synth backdrops. Many of the songs look back fondly at suburban teen romance (“Suburbia”); the sharper-edged highlight “Bite” adds a darker hue to the album’s pastel palette. The relentless lightness can get predictable after a while, as one plush ballad blurs into another, but Blue Neighbourhood, like all the best young loves, is full of promise.