The 'Gold Star Baby' Club - The Aces make it worth the RSVP
- blondevibrations
- Aug 20
- 5 min read
The Aces, comprised of siblings Cristal and Alisa Ramirez, as well as Katie Henderson and McKenna Petty, have finally released 'Gold Star Baby', a dazzling, sapphic disco-pop concept album that pulls you straight to the dance floor.
‘Welcome to Gold Star Baby’ as an opening number delivers statement of intent, striking in delivery to guide the narrative we step into. It balances retro excitement with an undercurrent of curiosity, inviting us to this unknown concept. As those first harmonies fade, the cleverly staged advertisement-style monologue establishes this club environment, a playful introduction to the setting for the record unfolding. The Aces have created a moment so simple yet cinematic and actually feels unique. An immediate takeaway from the album is its ability to command and maintain an atmosphere. They have entirely leaned into this disco-soaked aesthetic that we discover from the outset, and The Aces sustain this with consistency that make it such an enjoyable listen.
‘Jealous’, for example, demands movement. It urges you to shed away any inhibition and channels an energy only stepping out on a Saturday Night can provide. The vocals sparkle across this track, but then the bridge’s lower register adds that depth and drama. Its placement on the track list already shows what the night entails, and its listening experience feels wasted on headphones in bed. ‘Jealous’ is meant instead for a crowded nightclub under neon lights, as you dare to be seen.
‘The Magic’ extends this atmosphere of indulging in desire, this time capturing the intoxicating experience of becoming fully consumed by someone, where they become your gravitational pull. This inclination to crave all that somebody can give to you is potent, and we can feel the record stepping into a more daring space. The upbeat danceable energy remains, but in comes the introduction of a more seductive undertone, mirroring the themes of the track. A tension builds up that anyone in your proximity can sense, feel and envy. The Aces convey anticipation, the moment of surrender just before diving into something new with ease.
Each song compliments the last as we move forward with the night itself. ‘Gold Star Baby’ drifts into the peak of the party, becoming grittier as we take a slight departure from the more disco driven sound that The Aces have established so far. This track enters a looser, freer atmosphere that reads as equal parts psychedelic and liberating. It captures the thrill of keeping your cards close yet surrendering to spontaneity of movement and pleasure. It embraces the idea that not everything needs definition or overanalysing, while also playfully nodding to the term ‘gold star’ and its connotations within the queer community. ‘You Got Me’ feels like a progression of the connection formed in ‘Gold Star Baby’. This track softens what we have seen so far, a laying of cards on the table. While it still shares that spirit of the night, intimate and bold, a layer of vulnerability is introduced into the mix. These bubbling feelings transcend purely physical attraction to land into something deeper. By the time the refrain of ‘I love you babe’ makes its way to the surface, it reads less as a lyric and more as a confession that could not be contained despite so much effort.
‘The Girls (Interlude)’ pulls us right back into the record’s narrative framework. Through the playful use of a phone call, it captures the feelings of a twenty-something’s pre-night-out preparation with such authenticity. It strengthens the album’s storytelling while breaking away from a traditional instrumental interlude, instead opting for something light, relatable and just so real. What is a night out without running into a familiar face? Georgia Bridgers (seen notably in Maude Latour's music video for ‘Officially Mine’ and most recently, Reneé Rapp’s ‘Leave Me Alone’) makes a playful cameo, adding to this sense of fun as we eavesdrop on her conversation with a friend. They cover all bases: what to wear, getting into the club late and, most importantly, whether they will make their ex's jealous.
The final run of songs really allows this story to develop. ‘Stroke’, driven by guitar, shifts the album’s sound without losing the built-up momentum. It feels effortlessly playful, thriving on tongue-in-cheek moments that occasionally tip into outright boldness. You can just tell how these tracks will translate to the stage, with their upcoming tour set to transform every venue into an invitation-only invite. Consider this our RSVP!
‘Twin Flame’ is a record highlight without a doubt, allowing a real raw moment in the raspy delivery of those first stripped-back lines. When the beat kicks in, the track builds up into an exploration of desire held against better judgement, blazing like a fire that refuses to be extinguished. There is denial at play, dancing as a distraction to allow red flags to dissolve into the haze of the night. The track feels like catching the sight of that one person you cannot let go of across the bar, a charged moment that is impossible to ignore. Yet, the line ‘am I delusional?’ allows sobering clarity to hit like a hangover, and you realise that denial only hits the snooze button on the truth.
‘Spending The Night’ as its sister song on the track list feels intentional, reaching the after-hours portion of the night.. Lines like ‘I got to draw the line' and 'we can’t be spending the night right now / one text away and you’re on my couch’ shows hesitancy in this attraction, self aware in knowing how easy it is to be pulled into something. The fantasy fades away, you want to continue the night, but you must part ways. ‘I’m Sweet (I’m Mean)’ reveals the true moment where the rose-tinted lens on somebody shatters and thinking ‘use to think I should be grateful you would choose me / said you love me then one-eighty’. The wounds that have been exposed cannot be undone. The final bridge this anthem swirls round, and we reach the satisfying and overdue moment of finally cutting ties with outsight confrontation.
'Gold Star Baby' is one of the most infectious and electric releases of the year, an album that entirely flips expectations going into the project on its head. It embodies the feelings of self-assurance, indulgence and desire so vividly.
In fact, they described the album best themselves, saying that ‘this album is for anyone that’s looking for an escape in the more than challenging world we live in. This album is a celebration.’ Exactly!
We hope this gets us an invitation to the 'Gold Star Baby' club, and all that The Aces’ world entails!
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