Olly Alexander, “Polari.”

It’s no simple task to start anew after being associated with another project for over a decade, but that’s just what Olly Alexander set out to do.

The former lead of electro-pop group Years & Years, is back with Polari, a first look into a solo career under his birth name.

While the album retains much of the electronic dance sound for which Alexander is known, it also introduces a fresh, ’80s-inspired sound with the help of producer Danny L Harle. It’s not just sonically evolved; it’s also introspective, unwavering and vulnerable. Alexander reclaims space and shines a spotlight on his own experiences while using it as a broader commentary on queer culture.

The word “polari” (meaning “to talk”) is a form of slang that was used primarily in the U.K. among marginalized and gay communities around the 19th century. It became a part of the gay subculture as a way to subtly speak freely without fear of being outed.

The title track, which opens the album, sets an energetic, synth-laden tone that sounds like something out of Janet Jackson’s catalog. Alexander has said that the song is “a bit of an audio collage of all the music that follows,” and that it’s meant to replicate the sound of an engine revving. Other artistic and stylistic choices also feel well thought out on Polari.

Unapologetic themes of love, lust and staying authentically true to himself work their way into a timeless but modernized club-inspired feel of the album. “Cupid’s Bow” is an elegant transition from the intro, with resonating dark synth beats, as Alexander shouts, “Cupid’s bow is looking for/ Somebody like yeah!”

“Archangel” showcases his impressive tenor and ability to harmonize as he smoothly shifts between octaves. The song describes a relationship in which a partner was a savior in a dark moment. Given that Alexander also has a background in acting, there is no shortage of the theatrical in the way he lays out the narrative.

“Dizzy,” which Alexander first sang while representing the U.K. in 2024’s “Eurovision Song Contest,” is about longing for something that’s gone, wanting to go back to the beginning of a relationship when everything was simpler. On dreamy tune “Beautiful,” he describes feeling saved by love, chanting, “You gave me the wings that I needed/ When you talk to me, it’s like poetry/ I can feel your love in every moment.”

During “Heal You,” Alexander’s vocals shine as the melody dissipates into the background. Here, he’s the one offering healing to another. The softer interludes help to tell a story and tie in more vulnerable aspects to a record that’s otherwise packed with synth and dance production.

The upbeat “Shadow of Love” could be either from the past or the future — an element to Alexander’s music that he seems to enjoy playing with. It’s spatial, punchy and oozes with attitude.

The end of the album shifts the focus to destiny and purpose. “When We Kiss” combines 2010’s dance-pop nostalgia with influences from the likes of 1980s pop duo Erasure. It’s textured and filled with color in the way it picks up tempo and slows back down.

“Lie next to me/ I hear it in your voice/ …We can make a choice,” Olly Alexander sings.

Closer “Language” offers a heavier beat and some vocal glitches. it slows as the subject matter gets even more existential. “The world that you believe is not always what it seems,” he belts, capturing life in all its fragility. In being so open in discussing his sexuality and correlating that with the past, Alexander makes a powerful statement about the need to belong.

Perhaps he wants listeners to consider how we communicate with each other, as well as acknowledge and appreciate the need for human connection — that it’s important to celebrate the pain that comes with the joy of being alive.

Follow writer Vera Maksymiuk at Twitter.com/veramaksymiuk.