Though she was considered the most green of all her teen-pop peers in the early 2000s, it's a sure testament to her tenacity that Hilary Duff was the first to make a return to music in the 2010s (especially considering it's been a full eight years since her last album "Dignity"). Whatever the reason for her comeback, it certainly can't be said that Duff was under contractual obligation or felt any financial need to do so. With a full roster of contemporary pop minds at the helm--Tove Lo, Toby Gad, Matthew Koma, and Ed Sheeran all make appearances--"Breathe In. Breathe Out." both benefits and suffers slightly from its careful construction. Of course, EDM serves as the basis for most of these songs, but there are also nods to acoustic-pop ("Tattoo" and "Night Like This"), indie-pop ("Rebel Hearts"), and pop/rock ("Picture This"). However, "Breathe In. Breathe Out." is by and large supported by a throbbing dance-pop pulse, not unlike those beats already fronted by Ellie Goulding or Taylor Swift. Indeed, several cuts, such as the airy title track, could've fit comfortably on Swift's "1989" album, while "One in a Million" isn't too far off the track from the club hits Goulding scored with "Halcyon Days" in 2014. Thankfully though, no matter how often the music here gets dangerously close to being behind the times or reductive of already worn practices, Hilary Duff has picked a production team that places emphasis on her sweet, girly voice and benevolent nature. This means the important part of the songs are the songs themselves, always favoring melodic hooks instead of rhythm-n-bass. It does get a little tiresome half-way in, where the songs start becoming more similar ("My Kind" and "Lies" could almost be exact duplicates of each other), but that doesn't mean the second half of the album was built any more lazily than the first. Sticking through to the end does offer decent rewards with the guitar-driven songs taking the fore and the four-on-the-floor subsides. So, whatever side of Hilary Duff you prefer, there's a satisfying helping of both parts of her personality here. Even if "Breathe In. Breathe Out." doesn't exactly separate her from the wide array of Taylor Swifts or Tove Los of the modern pop landscape, it does offer further proof that Duff's motivation for making music isn't to sell records, but to enjoy singing the songs she's given. That altogether is what makes this album a sturdy and successful comeback.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Sparks 2. My Kind 3.
One in a Million
4. Confetti 5.
Breathe In. Breathe Out. 6. Lies
7. Arms
Around a Memory 8. Stay in Love 9. Brave
Heart
10. Tattoo 11. Picture This 12. Night Like This
13. Belong 14. Rebel Hearts
