Glitter is a fascinating, neon-hued anomaly that sounds like a 1983 New York City nightclub viewed through the high-gloss lens of the early 2000s.
It is an album of sharp contrasts: one moment you are immersed in the gritty, synth-heavy funk of a post-disco dance floor, and the next you are suspended in the crystalline, piano-led vulnerability of a classic power ballad.
The production, helmed largely by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, eschews the sleek digital sheen of its era for a warmer, more analog-inspired palette that pays direct homage to the era of Rick James and Cameo. It feels like a fever dream of a period piece, where the nostalgia is so thick it becomes its own atmosphere.
Also reviewed byAllMusic
How does Glitter sound next to the rest of Mariah Carey's catalogue?
This album stays in step with the catalogue across the board — no axis departs enough to be worth its own note. Hover the dots to see where each one sits.
Cassette uses generative AI to enrich its catalog. How we use AI →