“No Drug Like Me”

In an increasingly volatile and complicated world, pop fans look to Carly Rae Jepsen for safety and stability. The value proposition of the Canadian cult hero hasn’t changed a bit since the halcyon days when “Call Me Maybe” topped the charts: She churns out joyous celebrations of new love and self-love, songs that don’t need to be decoded through Instagram sleuthing or cross-referenced with the tabloids. Her musical calling cards—chunky synth melodies, hooks cobbled together from chopped-up vocalizations, a swordlike singing voice—haven’t changed much either, but for many listeners, that’s part of her charm: the comfort that comes with finding your lane and staying in it.

Jepsen is gearing up to release her first album since 2015’s beloved E•MO•TION, and her two new singles stay the course. There isn’t much to say about “Now That I Found You,” a straightforward sugar-rush that’s at home promoting “Queer Eye”’s aspirational fantasies, but “No Drug Like Me” is a little more intriguing. Like treasured deep cuts “LA Hallucinations” and “Warm Blood,” it’s darker and more viscous than standard-issue Jepsen, with verses that dip into the low end of her range and imagery—blurry eyes, mouths running dry, spinning heads—that might be familiar from your last hangover. She ends the chorus with a line that doubles as both a temptation and a challenge: “You ain’t tried no drug like me.” I’m sure these songs will satisfy fans desperate for a fix, but it’s hard to imagine them pulling in anyone new.