A concept album that follows "the progress of a party, from arrival through romantic tension to break-up and final redemption", About Last Night... mixes synth-pop, disco, house and R&B[5] with themes of love, empowerment and confidence.[6] It was supported by three singles: "Let Them Know", "Good Luck" and "Overthinking", as well as two promotional singles: "Let Love Go" featuring Lil Tecca and "Crying on the Dance Floor".
Upon its release, the album received generally positive reviews from music critics, many of whom complimented the production and Mabel's new musical direction.[7] The album was a commercial success, peaking at number two on the UK Albums Chart and making it her highest-charting album to date.[8]
Background
In February 2021, Mabel posted a snippet of a song and screenshots of fan messages about her second studio album on Instagram.[9] In June 2021, Mabel posted a video on her social media containing a series of shots of her recording, performing and filming two music videos, which ended up being those of the first two singles from the album, "Let Them Know" and "Good Luck".[10] The album's title was hinted at the end of the music video for "Let Them Know" and at the beginning of the music video for "Good Luck". Mabel officially announced the album on May 27, 2022.[11]
Singles
The album's lead single, "Let Them Know", was released on 18 June 2021.[12] The song debuted at number 38 on the UK Singles Chart and it eventually peaked at number 19.[13]
"Good Luck" featuring Jax Jones and Galantis was released as the second single from the album on 18 March 2022.[14]
"Overthinking" featuring 24kGoldn was released as the third and final single off the album on 20 May 2022.[15]
Promotional singles
"Let Love Go" featuring Lil Tecca and "Crying on the Dance Floor" were released as promotional singles from the album on 29 June and 12 July 2022 respectively. On 18 July 2022, Mabel released a music video for the song "LOL".[16]
About Last Night... received generally positive reviews from music critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received a weighted average score of 72, based on seven reviews.[7] Elly Watson of DIY wrote that the album "boldly celebrates ballroom and dance culture", with "each song feel[ing] like you're wandering through a different room in a nightclub" and mixing "disco, dance, pop and R&B elements" while exploring "the highs and lows of the best night out of your life, and Mabel is the perfect party guide".[18]
In a critical review for The Line of Best Fit, Dave Russell found the album "almost completely devoid of charisma, uniqueness or nerve" and "smothered under the weight of generic, radio-pandering production and derivative genre cosplay" with "lyrics that are vague to the point of meaninglessness".[4] In contrast, NME contributor Hannah Mylrea gave the album four out of five stars, stating "'About Last Night...' leaves you with your ears ringing, hooks stuck in your head and a healthy dose of dancefloor catharsis that'll make you feel lighter."[5]
Commercial performance
About Last Night… debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, overtaking her debut studio album High Expectations, which peaked at number three in 2019.[20][21] Elsewhere, the album debuted at four on the Scottish Albums Chart, becoming her highest-charting album there, and at 39 on the Irish Albums Chart.[22]
Promotion
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On June 21, 2022, Mabel announced through her social media intimate shows promoting her album "About Last Night". Tickets went on sale the following day.[23] Mabel announced her first headlining show in two years at Somerset House in London during the 2022 Summer Series.[24] Previously, Mabel also announced her performances at festivals via her social media.
