Courtesy of Ryan Seacreast

Breathe In. Breathe Out. by Hilary Duff

When I heard that a new Hilary Duff album was coming out, I was honestly worried. Excited, but, hand-shaking nervous. Hilary Duff definitely is an icon of the early 2000s, but what can she do now? What can she bring that is still relevant?

I think of JoJo. I am so ready for JoJo because she has these R&B pipes that fans are always waiting for her to unleash on the general population. My worry was that Hilary’s voice doesn’t sell as much as her persona and vision, which is can be a bit nerve-wracking when her new album emerges on Spotify.

But, guess what, Breathe In. Breathe Out. does not terrify me anymore. It actually makes perfect sense. Hilary Duff is back and out for top spots on the Top 40 charts. Influenced by what seems to be Taylor Swift’s 1989 and “Levels” by Avicci, this album definitely brings bangers perfect for black light filled clubs and self-esteem boosting pop tracks meant to be belted by Ed Sheeran-loving youths.

The album begins with Duff’s first single in years, the energetic “Sparks.” It sets the tone for a dancier and electronic-influenced version of Hillary Duff that the teens of the 2000s are not as used to. The first handful of tracks are these European house influenced bangers. From “My Kind” to “Lies” to “Arm Around A Memory,” Duff is not going to let you go from the grasp of her new persona.

But then, as always, there is a shift. She pulls back out the acoustic guitar and takes the listener back to the good ol’ days of her past albums with “Tattoo” and “Night Like This,” a duet with former Nickelodeon television series musician Kendall Schmidt.

Before listening to the new Hilary Duff album, I’d recommend following the instructions hidden in the title: Breathe In. Breathe Out. It is important to really let the rain come down, wash away any polarizing opinions (positive or negative) surrounding the artist, come clean and allow the album to hit you as the oddly sweet and sticky pop album it is.

RIYL: Miley Cyrus, Jessica Simpson, Lizzie McGuire, Agent Cody Banks