Review: Remi Wolf — Mud

Remi Wolf
Mud
Island Records
Street: 10.09.2026
Remi Wolf = Kimbra + Blu Detiger

Remi Wolf lays herself bare in her raw, captivating, third studio album, Mud. The record is like a tear-stained diary entry, saturated with raw, undisguised emotion. Wolf’s songwriting digs deep into self-destructive habits, tied to the intoxicating thrill of infatuation, longing and the fix of counterfeit love. It reveals a raw, uncovered version of Wolf, showing how far she’s willing to dive into corners of herself, with no intention of holding back. She expands beyond the vibrant, cheerful foundation of her earlier projects and explores a soul-bearing disarray, like rolling around in the Mud.

The album kicks off with “Bottle,” featuring a Fleetwood Mac–esque blend of eclectic guitar work and driving percussion beneath Wolf’s unmistakably refined vocals. It instantly pulls the listener into an uplifting trance, carving out its own melodic universe. Wolf navigates the high-stakes turmoil of addiction and romance, evoking euphoric joy and provoking an underlying melancholy. The opening track sets a dynamic tone for the project, giving her voice rich layers and a loud emotional tension that defines much of the record’s thematic weight.

Throughout the album, Wolf wrestles with complex feelings about love and self-worth. She swings wildly between clinging to unpredictable partners and poetically allowing ruin to fall into her lap. On the track “Champagne,” she captures the rush of self-destruction and embodies the fear of abandonment. She pairs candid lyrical vignettes with ultra-refined musical production. She frames vulnerability not as a weakness, but as an essential ode to the album’s messy name.

Mud leans into chaos rather than running from it. “I Won’t Cry” captures this surrender completely, as Wolf tosses her heart into the hands of another, ready to let them have whatever they want. “Moon So High,” featuring John Mayer, also ponders the unrequited, out-of-reach love, held up on a pedestal too high for Wolf to reach, causing her to desperately grasp for it.

What makes Mud so thrilling is how freely Wolf plays with her range. On “Jamie,” she delivers her words as if she’s at a smoky speakeasy poetry slam.  “Wine Drunk” swerves into the pop-rock realm, while “Guess” delivers a country sound. The genres may slightly shift around, but her talent holds it all together, making Mud feel creatively free and cohesive at the same time.

The album closes with “Yellow Rose,” a continuation of what it means to be one half of a complicated attraction. She talks about dancing like a puppet, being none other than what the other person wants her to be. Simultaneously, the melody and vocals are some of the most beautiful on the album. It’s clear where the message of Mud lies. It reaches a place that most people have been through at some point in time. It doesn’t shy away from that period in any sense; instead, it embraces it. —Maya Dawn

Read more national music reviews:
Review: Julia Jacklin — The Gem
Review: Emma Ayzenberg — Child of Saturn

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