Now that Charli XCX’s BRAT is over a week old, I think we can all comfortably say it’s the album of the year, or at the very least, the album of the summer. Of course, for Angels (the Charli XCX fan community) we’ve been considering this the album of the year since back when Charli announced she’d be reconnecting with the producer A.G. Cook in 2023. But that’s just kind of what it means to be a Charli XCX fan. We always think, or should I say, recognize, that Charli Baby is miles ahead of the game and since the release of Vroom Vroom in 2016, we’ve all been waiting for you slugs to catch up.
Well, it looks like it’s finally happened, BRAT is both a critical (a perfect 10 from Fantano) and commercial success, and truly, we’re happy you can enjoy this moment with us. Even if at the same time we’re asking “what the hell took you all so long!?”
I’ve already listened to BRAT more times than any other album of the year, diving deep into the songs, and getting into arguments with friends over which are the best, but it’s time for me to draw a line in the sand. So I’m naming the five best songs on BRAT and because this is party music we’re talking about, I’m assigning each a cocktail that embodies the spirit of each song and captures the song’s delicious essence.
Getting f*cked up while listening to BRAT just feels right — it’s an album designed for nightlife. And since Charli is currently on tour (with another upcoming tour with Troye Sivan to follow) we know all the angels out there are going to need some ideas on how to turn up before the show. To that end, we’ve gathered five cocktails crafted by our departed whisky and cocktail expert Zach Johnston so that you can get lit with a little guidance.
How We Decided On These Cocktails
It’s a vibe, not a science. I attributed each drink to a song based on the flavor profile, name, look, and how it makes me — and hopefully you — feel drinking it. All of these drinks are just so BRAT. You know it when you feel it.
Let’s drink — here are the five best songs (no bonus tracks allowed) from BRAT and the cocktails to pair with them.
”Sympathy is a knife” — The Pornstar
“Cause I couldn’t even be her if I tried. I’m opposite I’m on the other side.”
Why We Chose This Drink:
“Sympathy is a knife” is not only my favorite song on BRAT, I think it best exemplifies the album as a whole. It’s raw, it’s direct, it’s emotional, and yet, a whole lot of fun. So we needed a cocktail that could exemplify Charli herself, which is why we went with the Pornstar, a cocktail that combines vanilla vodka, passionfruit, lime juice, simple syrup, and chilled prosecco into a refreshing and dessert-like drink.
Not only does it sound like a drink Charli would order based on the name alone, the Pornstar is part glamour part grime. What better way to represent Charli? Charli has always had a strained relationship with her fame, she’s not like the other super put-together pop girls out there, she’s messy, and it’s why we love her, and BRAT is a messy album.
There are rumblings in the fan community that “Sympathy is a knife” makes reference to Taylor Swift and we’re not going to get into all of that, but what other pop artist would leave a trail of breadcrumbs in a song that would even allow people to entertain the thought it could be about Taylor, a person with the most insane fan community? Only Charli.
Tasting Notes:
Vanilla-forward and dessert-like. Imagine a passion fruit upside-down cake with a deep creamy flavor and a lip-smacking citrus brightness.
Ingredients and How To Make:
• A coupe or cocktail glass (prechilled)
• 2 oz. shot glass
• Cocktail shaker
• Cocktail strainer
• Fine strainer
• Jigger
• Hand juicer
• Pairing knife
1. Prechill your glasses.
2. Add the vodka, passion fruit puree, simple, lime, and passion fruit liqueur to the cocktail shaker. Add a large handful of ice, affix the lid, and shaker vigorously for about 20 seconds.
3. Double-strain the cocktail into the prechilled coupe.
4. Garnish with a dried orange wheel or passion fruit wheel (if you’re using fresh fruit) and serve with a two-ounce sidecar of prosecco.
For a full list of tools and techniques, click here.
”Everything is romantic” — Classic Mai Tai
“Early nights in white sheets with lace curtains. Capri in the distance. In a place that can make you change, fall in love again and again.”
Why We Chose This Drink:
The Mai Tai, with its tropical combination of Jamaican rum, orange curaçao, and lime juice is one of the most iconic cocktails of all time, and because of that, it’s one of the most copied. That reminds me a bit of our girl Charli, whose sound is so unique and next level that we’ve seen the undeniable effect her artistry has had on modern pop music, even if most people don’t know it.
Simply put, hyperpop wouldn’t be the cultural force it is without the work of Charli and her collaborators like A.G. Cook, Easy Fun, and the late Sophie. Also special shout out to El Guincho, one of the producers of this track and another artist whose sound holds an equally strong and underappreciated influence on modern pop.
This song, like the Mai Tai itself, is infectious. The sweeping strings at the intro, the way the clattering beat hits for the first time, the imagery — it’s pop music perfection and the first song on BRAT that gave me chills on my initial listen. I can picture myself sipping a Mai Tai on a warm Italian night, looking out at the ocean, Capri in the distance.
Tasting Notes:
Complex and elevated, yet easy to fall in love with. It has a bright lime and orange-forward flavor with a deep nuttiness and a complex lush finish. A balance of tropical notes and woody spice.
Ingredients and How To Make:
• 2 oz. aged Jamaican rum
• 0.5 oz. Orange Curaçao
• 0.5 oz. fresh lime juice
• 0.5 oz. orgeat
• Crushed ice
• Fresh mint
• Lime wheel
1. Add the rum, Orange Curaçao, fresh lime juice, and orgeat to the cocktail shaker with a large handful of crushed ice. Affix the lid and shaker vigorously for about 10 to 15 seconds.
2. Pour the whole drink with ice into the waiting glass. Add a little more crushed ice to the top of the cocktail and then garnish with fresh mint and a lime wheel. Serve.
For a full list of tools and techniques, click here.
”I think about it all the time” — The Pain Killer
“Cause maybe one day I might, if I don’t run out of time. Would it make me miss all of my freedom? I think about it all the time.”
Why We Chose This Drink:
Next to “So I,” “I think about it all the time” is one of the most emotionally bare moments on BRAT. It has Charli contemplating her fame, her values, and her future and it really puts into perspective how multidimensional an artist she is.
Charli, in one song contemplates putting the party days behind her and becoming a mother, only to say in the next song “Should we do a little key? Should we have a little line?” I love the songs on BRAT always feel in dialogue with one another, and “I think about it all the time,” feels like Charli in dialogue with herself.
This was the hardest song to assign a cocktail, but we’re going to go with The Pain Killer, a frothy and fruity cocktail that puts an elevated spin on the Piña Colada. It’s fully crushable and party-ready, but with its use of nutmeg and its complex flavor, it feels a bit mature. If that’s not “I think about it all the time,” I don’t know what is.
Tasting Notes:
A wonderful balance between sweetness and tropical acidity. It’s bright and easy on the palate, yet complex. The nutmeg really deepens the flavor here and gives your palate something nuanced to focus on.
Ingredients and How To Make:
• 2 oz. dark Caribbean rum
• 4 oz. pineapple juice
• 1 oz. fresh orange juice
• 1 oz. cream of coconut
• Nutmeg
• Pineapple wedge
• Cocktail cherry
• Ice
1. Add the rum, juices, and coconut to a cocktail shaker with a large handful of ice. Affix the lid and shake vigorously for about 20 to 30 seconds until the shaker is ice cold and the drink is nice and frothy. There’s a lot of liquid in the shaker with this one, so start slowly and build up speed.
2. Fill the glass with fresh ice — about 3/4 full. Strain the cocktail into the glass. Dash nutmeg over the top of the drink and garnish with a pineapple wedge and cherry. Serve.
For a full list of tools and techniques, click here.
”Girl, so confusing” — The Spicy Cucumber Margarita (El Pepino)
“You’re all about writing poems but I’m about throwing parties.”
Why We Chose This Drink:
Because BRAT and Charli are all about the party, we couldn’t make this list without a true people-pleaser party drink, and what better cocktail than the Spicy Cucumber Margarita? AKA El Pepino, this drink takes everything great about a margarita and turns it up a level by adding cucumber and fresh jalapeño for a spicy and vegetal twist.
“Girl, so confusing,” feels like a true encapsulation of what makes A.G. Cook’s production such a natural pair for Charli’s songwriting. It’s bubbly, cute, and aggressive. It’s a reflection of Charli as much as a throwback to the sound A.G. Cook helped popularize. There are moments in the song that make me think of the early days of PC Music, its club music through an aggressively feminine filter.
Tasting Notes
Refreshing, savory, and spicy. It has a snappy tartness and a subtle heat that is absolute joy for the tastebuds. This takes a simple margarita and deepens the flavor and experience.
Ingredients and How To Make:
• 1.5 oz. blanco tequila
• 0.5 oz. Cointreau
• 0.5 oz. lime juice
• 0.5 oz. cucumber juice
• 0.5 oz. simple syrup
• 1/2 slice of fresh jalapeno
• Ice
• Chili Salt for the rim
• Lime wheel
1. Add the tequila, juices, and Cointreau to a cocktail shaker with the fresh chili and a large handful of ice. Affix the lid and shake vigorously for about 20 seconds or until the shaker is ice-cold to touch.
2. Wet the rim of the glass with the lime wheel dip the glass into the chili salt and then add fresh ice to the rocks glass.
3. Double-strain the cocktail into the glass, drop the lime wheel in the glass, and serve.
For a full list of tools and techniques, click here.
”360/365” — Gin Basil Smash
“I’m everywhere I’m so Julia.”
Why We Chose This Drink:
Surprise! Okay, I kind of cheated a bit here, this is technically two songs, but they are the bookends of the album and are very much iterations of one another. This was the hardest song to pick, and there were many other tracks that I considered in its places (shout out “Club classics,” “Von Dutch,” and “So I”). Ultimately, I settled on “360/365” because the cocktail it reminds me of came to mind the fastest.
This song is without a doubt a Gin Basil Smash — it’s sharp, bright, spicy, and come on, look at that color, it’s the album color in liquid form! It’s a simple but classic cocktail with just a few ingredients. The drink is a showcase for how simple elements can come together to make something greater than the sum of their parts, much like this pair of songs which are relatively minimal and yet, huge sounding.
Tasting Notes:
Bright, and spicy with a mix of mint and citrus flavors and a wonderful herbaceousness. Everything element of this drink works in perfect harmony.
Ingredients and How To Make:
• 2 oz. London dry gin
• 0.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 0.25 oz. simple syrup
• 2 large basil sprigs
• Ice
• Extra fresh basil for garnish
1. Add the basil and simple syrup to the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Use the muddler to bruise the basil leaves and break up the stems a tad. Add the gin, lemon juice, and a large handful of ice to the shaker. Affix the lid and then shake vigorously for about 20 seconds.
2. Add a large ice cube to the rocks glass. Double strain the cocktail into the rocks glass and then garnish with a fresh basil sprig. Serve.
For a full list of tools and techniques, click here.
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