Since the one-two punch of her late-2010s mainstream conquests 1000 Forms of Fear and This Is Acting, Sia locked into prolific auto-pilot mode, churning out track after track of distinctly "Sia" anthems for multiple soundtracks, guest appearances, and one-off singles. She even released a Christmas album in 2018 and formed the supergroup LSD with Diplo and Labrinth in 2019. In 2020, solo singles such as "Saved My Life" and "Together" began creeping into the mix. Swelling with inspirational power and feel-good energy, these songs laid the groundwork for her ninth full-length, MUSIC: Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture. Bound to Sia's directorial debut film endeavor, the album contains few surprises and dwells alongside Fear and Acting in Sia's post-alternative indie era, where explosive emotions reign, beats pulse and pop, and vulnerability and introspection are transformed into rallying cries for motivation. While there's nothing here to match the visceral chills of "Alive" and "Chandelier" or the utter heartbreak of "Big Girls Cry" or "Broken Glass," MUSIC at least meets expectations of what a Sia album should be. Rousing opener "Together" bounces with joy, an empowering singalong anthem for all ages, while the alluring "Hey Boy" (and its bonus sibling featuring Nigerian superstar Burna Boy) struts like a missing piece from No Doubt's Rock Steady. Additional energetic highlights include Sia's umpteenth collaboration with electronic dance producer David Guetta "Floating Through Space"; the breezy island-kissed "1+1" and "Eye to Eye"; and "Play Dumb," a hypnotic blend that sounds like old-school trip-hop twisted with G-funk production. For those seeking more emotional drama, the Dua Lipa-assisted "Saved My Life" bleeds its feelings over a midtempo sway as Sia repeatedly pleads to a savior to "save my life." Meanwhile, the title track and the cinematic "Beautiful Things Can Happen" are sweeping sonic reminders of Sia's early days (think 2004's "Breathe Me"), as the powerful "Courage to Change" pushes her inimitable vocals to new heights as she declares "You're not alone in all this...Standing together, we can do anything" through a storm of frenzied piano and pounding percussion. Altogether, MUSIC is another mighty addition to the Australian pop maven's 2020s discography, especially when evaluated on its own merit. However, since it's inextricably linked to the eponymous movie -- which generated plenty of controversy and public outcry for its portrayal of a non-verbal autistic woman by Sia's longtime public stand-in, neurotypical dancer Maddie Ziegler -- MUSIC might suffer from that burden of connection, which is a pity because it's actually quite good. ~ Neil Z. Yeung, Rovi

1		Together
2		Hey Boy
3		Saved My Life
4		Floating Through Space
5		Eye to Eye
6		Music
7		1+1
8		Courage to Change
9		Play Dumb
10		Beautiful Things Can Happen
11		Lie to Me
12		Oblivion
13		Miracle
14		Hey Boy