When a 28-year-old Chinese singer-songwriter Psyclo decides to flip the script on sadness, the result is something that defies easy categorization.
Psyclo’s second studio album “Loved” arrives as both a personal manifesto and a sonic revolution, marking a dramatic shift from her alternative roots into the bright, uncompromising territory of pop music.
Two years in the making, this collection of 25 tracks represents something far more significant than a simple genre pivot. It’s a complete reimagining of what healing can sound like when filtered through synthesizers, drum machines, and the kind of vocal delivery that carries the weight of genuine transformation.
The album opens with a statement of intent that reverberates through every subsequent song: love as the ultimate creative force, happiness as a conscious choice rather than a fleeting accident.
What strikes you first about “Loved” is its fearless embrace of optimism. In an era where melancholy dominates the musical conversation, Psyclo has chosen to swim against the current with remarkable determination.
The production sparkles with the kind of clarity that suggests someone who has finally found their voice after years of searching in darker corners. Each track builds upon the last, creating a cohesive narrative that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.
The opening moments establish a sonic palette that immediately distinguishes this work from her previous output. Gone are the shadowy textures of “Shxffle,” replaced by arrangements that seem to breathe with newfound confidence.
The instrumentation feels purposeful, each element serving the larger goal of creating space for vulnerability without sacrificing strength. It’s pop music with substance, crafted by someone who understands that accessibility doesn’t require the sacrifice of depth.
“Everybody Sucks,” the album’s second track, exemplifies this balance perfectly. The song carries an innocence that feels hard-earned rather than naive, its melody line dancing between playful and profound.
The accompanying music video reinforces this sense of lightness, presenting life as something manageable rather than overwhelming. The track succeeds because it acknowledges our collective flaws while maintaining hope for improvement.
This theme of conscious evolution continues throughout “Against Gravity,” positioned as the album’s fifth offering. Here, Psyclo confronts the natural tendency toward despair with a kind of musical defiance.
The production builds gradually, mirroring the effort required to resist life’s downward pull. Her vocals carry a determination that feels authentic, avoiding the trap of forced positivity that plagues so much contemporary pop.
Instead, she presents happiness as something that requires work, a daily choice that becomes easier with practice.
The album’s emotional core reveals itself most clearly in “I Don’t Understand Love,” where Psyclo admits to being “over-feeling things, over feeling feelings.” This confession arrives with the weight of someone who has genuinely reached their limit with emotional chaos.
The track serves as a turning point, marking the end of what she describes as her “heartbroken era.” The production here is notably restrained, allowing space for the vulnerability in her voice to take centre stage. It’s a moment of raw honesty that gives everything else on the album additional meaning.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of “Loved” is how it handles the concept of self-transformation without falling into the trap of toxic positivity. Psyclo acknowledges the reality of struggle while refusing to romanticize suffering.
On “Too Much,” she confronts the idea that “no one’s got all the answers” while the “devil keeps inching closer.” This isn’t denial of life’s difficulties but rather a recognition that we all must eventually choose our response to them.
The track builds tension effectively, creating a sense of urgency that mirrors the internal pressure of making difficult decisions.
The album’s treatment of love extends far beyond romantic relationships, encompassing self-acceptance, familial bonds, and the simple kindness of strangers. Psyclo’s definition of love includes “the cup of water my grandpa would bring me every morning” and “the 10 bucks my mom gives me to buy the street food I love.”
This grounded approach to an often-abstract concept gives the album an emotional authenticity that resonates across cultural boundaries. She’s not dealing in grand gestures but in the small moments that actually constitute a life.
From a production standpoint, “Loved” benefits from Psyclo’s background as both a record producer and audio engineer. The sonic choices feel intentional rather than accidental, with each element serving the larger emotional narrative.
The mix provides space for her vocals to breathe while maintaining the energy necessary for effective pop music. There’s a clarity here that suggests someone who knows exactly what they want to say and how they want to say it.
The album’s 25-track length might seem excessive in an era of shortened attention spans, but Psyclo uses this extended format to create a complete emotional arc. Each song contributes to the larger story of transformation, building toward a conclusion that feels earned rather than imposed.
The pacing allows for moments of reflection between more energetic tracks, creating a listening experience that rewards attention while remaining accessible to casual listeners.
What makes “Loved” particularly compelling is its cultural positioning. As a Chinese artist working primarily in English and based in Los Angeles, Psyclo occupies a unique space in contemporary pop music.
Her perspective brings fresh insight to universal themes, while her musical choices reflect a global sensibility that transcends geographic boundaries. The album succeeds as both a personal statement and a contribution to the broader conversation about mental health, self-care, and the possibility of genuine change.
The transformation from “Shxffle” to “Loved” represents something more significant than artistic growth. It documents a fundamental shift in worldview, from someone who was “too comfortable with being in a dark space” to an artist who actively chooses light.
This isn’t about denying the reality of pain but rather about refusing to let that pain define the entire narrative. Psyclo has created something that feels genuinely hopeful without sacrificing complexity or nuance.
The album’s final tracks maintain the energy and optimism established throughout, avoiding the common pitfall of ending on a sombre note. Instead, “Loved” concludes with the sense that this is a beginning rather than an ending.
Psyclo has positioned herself as someone committed to creating “a happy life where I can embrace peace,” and the music reflects this commitment with remarkable consistency.
In a musical climate often dominated by cynicism and despair, “Loved” stands as a bold statement about the possibility of genuine transformation. Psyclo has created something that acknowledges the difficulty of choosing happiness while demonstrating that such a choice is both possible and worthwhile.
The album succeeds because it feels authentic rather than manufactured, the product of someone who has genuinely done the work of changing their relationship with themselves and their art.
The result is a collection of songs that manages to be both deeply personal and broadly accessible, offering hope without minimizing struggle.
Psyclo has crafted something rare: pop music with genuine substance, created by someone who understands that the most radical act might simply be choosing to be happy.
“Loved” doesn’t just document a transformation; it actively participates in creating the possibility for others to experience their own.
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