Gus Dapperton – '4 Dear Life' review: dancing through a world in crisis
On his fourth album Gus Dapperton swaps glossy pop hooks for club sounds and electronics. Clash awards it 7 out of 10.
Archive image · Photo: Tore Sætre / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Three years after 'Henge', Gus Dapperton returns with his fourth album. For Clash writer Emma Constance, '4 Dear Life' is 'his attempt to find hope and relief in a politically and economically unstable world' – community, partying and connection as an antidote to uncertain times.
Musically, Dapperton leaves familiar ground, moving away from what Clash calls 'infectious hooks and glistening pop production'. 'Sweet Tooth' (with LedByHer) and 'Holding On' (with A-Trak) lean into electronica and club music, 'Place Beyond The Pines' and 'Queen' nod to his indie-pop roots, and 'PHD Rockstar' shows off a synth-driven, hip-hop-inflected sound.
Clash's verdict: 7 out of 10 for a record that 'offers eleven upbeat tracks that you can't help but dance to'. '4 Dear Life' was released on 23 October 2026 via ALTER.