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Alchemy was an ancient chemical practice of trying to convert everyday materials into gold and finding a universal elixir. Now, it is often talked about in the process of self-transformation. Dove Cameron spotlights this concept in her debut album, Alchemical 1. 

2022 was a big year for Dove with her songs “Boyfriend” and “Breakfast” blowing up all across the media. These two are easily her most popular and shot her up the charts instantly. Interestingly, this pushed her to have to work a bit backwards during the production of this album. Instead of building up to a viral hit once the album dropped, she had to experiment a bit with how to maintain her force of nature. And I’ll say it, the result is stunning. 

The album opens with a strong start. The track “Lethal Woman” feels like you’ve suddenly become the main character in a spy/heist movie. There’s a line in the pre-chorus of the song that perfectly sums up the way this track introduces the album. 

“’Cause she walks like a saint, floats like an angel / Sharp like a knife under the table”

The production of “Lethal Woman” demonstrates exactly what the song is. Graceful like an angel but sharp like a knife at the same time. The beauty and grace of a clean cut. 

With similar energy to “Lethal Woman,” “White Glove” is a hard-hitting and funky track that explores pleasure in the form of sex, money, and drugs. Sexuality is a continual theme throughout the album, as “Boyfriend” was Dove’s first track that explored her relationship with her bisexuality.

However, confidence can’t come without doubt and pain though. Songs like “Sand,” “Still,” and “FRAGILE THINGS” show her more vulnerable side.

“Sand” is particularly more vulnerable than the rest. It’s a conversation, a push and pull effect that feels like you’re lost in the wind. Where “Lethal Woman,” “Breakfast,” and “Boyfriend” are confident anthems, “Sand” is a question. It’s the doubt in between the conviction.

My favorite lyric in the entire song shows off just how talented of a lyricist Dove is. 

“But you have more pieces of me than the desert has sand / And I have less pieces of you than I can hold in my hand”

The way Dove uses sand to represent pieces of a person is such a beautiful metaphor. Throughout the chorus there is little background except her voice. But after singing this line, you’re swept up into a desert storm almost resembling the aftereffects of that realization.

“Still” is another song that has the instrumentals that could be found in a movie soundtrack. It’s a whirlwind throughout the verses and then changes up after she sings, “Can we just stand still” as the whole feel of the song opens up to allow more space. Lyrically, she asks for more time and space, and magically, it appears. 

In full, this album was a statement debut. It’s a whole different challenge to maintain the momentum from pre-releases than to work up to them. The result was purely “Dove Cameron.” It feels exactly her.

For me, it’s been on repeat these past few weeks. Check out the rest of her album and stay on the lookout for Alchemical 2 in the coming months!