ALBUM REVIEW: Sophie Yera - Final Girl

Sophie Yera's Final Girl is a swirling, atmospheric alt-pop extravaganza that makes for a compelling debut.

Reviewed by Alex "Ash" Han

AUTHOR'S NOTE: As always, before reading this review, please support Sophie Yera and stream Final Girl! Sophie's Linktree contains links where you can stream the project on all platforms.

 

I WAS A STRANGER TO THE MUSIC of Sophie Yera until we crossed paths (albeit as strangers, at least at the time) in a listening session two or three semesters ago, in what was then called Collegium. It was there that Sophie's version of the Gnarls Barkley track "Crazy" first saw the light of day. As a listener at the time, I remembered being intrigued by the decision to open one's introduction to the MTech community with a cover song, but also being no less impressed by the radical restructuring of the track into a rendition that felt very much unique. I believe it was the following semester (or maybe the following academic year? Jesus, I'm getting old & my memory's slipping) when Sophie made her debut on the MTech Invasion stage at last November's Invasion 2.0, followed by a sequel appearance just last month at Invasion 3. On both occasions, she showcased a strong stage presence marked by a high-fashion aesthetic and a plaintive vocal style, accompanied by enticing glimpses into the material which today finds itself at the focus of this article. Sophie Yera's debut LP, Final Girl, comes three years after her 2021 4-song EP Bad Trip. At a compact seven tracks in length, the album was nonetheless accompanied by an impressive promotional effort, consisting of not only both Invasion performances but also a sizeable Instagram promo run that drew plenty of attention from inside MTech. Having remained mostly unfamiliar with Sophie's music outside of the limited exposure I'd had from sharing the stage with her at Invasion, I went into this project more intrigued than anything to see how her live stage presence would translate to the studio, and just what that would mean for how listeners would begin to perceive Sophie Yera as an artist.

The LP opens with "Crazy", a swirling, atmospheric reinterpretation of the 2006 Gnarls Barkley classic. Sophie brings an airy, disaffected vocal performance over luscious synth pads and a steady sub bass—definitely a heavy vibe switch from the original's spaghetti-Western string samples and dusty drum groove. The song's structure also appears to have been altered slightly, with an extra prechorus added near the beginning, introducing a steady four-on-the-floor kick drum augmented by some distant reverb. On first listen, I wasn't sure I was a fan of the slow burn restructuring of the track; I found that I missed the relentless, pounding momentum of the Gnarls Barkley original, and the vocals had a slightly telephonic, sibilant quality to them that I didn't love. Right before the track's chorus, though, there is a moment where Sophie's lead vocal trails off into nothing as the pads hang in the air a bit and the kick pulse fades away into a reverby soup—the track lets us breathe for just a second or two before the drums come crashing in and Sophie's distorted, keening belt roars into focus. The beat drop on this track goes super hard; I love the sound selection of the giant, cinematic pads and the pseudo-trap drums that harken back to the dusty, apocalyptic quality of the original song. Sophie's vocal sound is also really nice here, fed through a distorted amp sim that gives enough harshness and character to really advance the unhinged, off-the-rails nature of the performance without sacrificing too much intelligibility. This one chorus is all we get, however, as the track soon drops into its outro section, buoyed by an octave-shifted vocal that takes us down and out of the song. As much respect as I do have for the decision to open the album with a reinterpretation of a song that is as much of a timeless classic as this one is, I found Sophie's take on the song to be novel and tasteful, keeping the track's meteoric chorus and rapturous atmosphere while also radically reformatting its structure to accommodate the long buildup and cathartic drop into the chorus. I did feel as though the engineering on this track left a little to be desired—the mix feels a little hollow, with plenty of sub bass and an abundance of high-end frequency content, but without much in the way of low mids to fill the track out and give it a solid foundation. Nonetheless, the track does make for a strong opener, albeit one that left me curious to hear what Sophie's own writing would bring to the album's narrative & style on subsequent tracks.

A steady kick drum and distorted, trippy synth bass opens the album's second track, "Crystal Lake", which also features contributions from Space Hotel. Sophie contributes a number of stacked layers—a distant, legato series of backing vocals, a breezy, apathetic lead vocal, several almost-intelligible whispers that tease the listener with snatches of lyrics here and there. I was really struck by the sound design on this track, which combines retro, warm, slightly wobbly synth patches with punchy, modern, in-your-face drums to create a convincingly vintage horror-movie-like atmosphere. Sophie's delivery here reminds me of a cross between Elizabeth Fraser and Tate McRae, combining current post-Billie Eilish and Lizzy McAlpine airy whisper-vocals with an almost-shoegaze set of inflections that obscure and smear lyrics in favor of creating a cavernous, glassy soundscape. I found that I had trouble understanding a lot of the lyrics for this song, which likely meant the narrative of the track escaped my grasp somewhat, but this wasn't necessarily a point of contention with the track for me. Its approach to creating an atmosphere through sound design nevertheless left an impression with me, and provided an intriguing first glimpse into Sophie's artistic identity.

"Gone Girl" switches up the vibe again, opening with a woozy, washed-out minor acoustic guitar recording augmented with either static or the sound of distant rain. Soon enough, Sophie's trademark heavy kick pulse and ominous synthesizers enter alongside, providing the track with an instant increase in scale, propelling it to titanic, cinematic heights. Sophie delivers a deadpan first verse, discussing a breakup through a disaffected veil that belies a complicated emotional context underneath the surface. The track's next section sees her drift into a lilting, airy falsetto through a hefty dose of Autotune, giving her a robotic edge that I really enjoyed. The touches of reverby, tremolo-heavy electric guitar were a really nice touch that lent a distinctly James Bond sort of feel to the track's soundscape. The track's last verse, where Sophie's spoken deadpan and Autotuned head voice trade lines in tandem, felt like a solid way to end off the track. I nonetheless felt a little confused by this one, specifically in regards to its structure, or lack thereof; on first listen, I found myself having been fooled multiple times into thinking I was hearing a chorus, only to later realize that none of the sections I identified repeated or formed any sort of tangible hook. I suppose I respect Sophie's commitment to through-composed songwriting, but I think on a track like this, I would have preferred the lyrics to be a little more intelligible in order to understand the emotional arc a bit better. I still very much enjoyed Sophie's experimentation with regards to her vocal chain on this one, and her ability to create a swirling, dark soundscape remained as strong as ever.

Track 4 is called "Drew's Interlude", and opens with a true gut punch of a line ("I can't keep you safe from me"), which is perhaps one of my favorite lines on the album. The soundscape on this track is a little more superficially upbeat than on the tracks that preceded it, with plenty of sparkly synth chords and tinkly bells providing an interesting contrast to the song's firmly minor-key aesthetic. The subtle open hats, steady kick, and subdued clap samples lend the track a really strong groove, perhaps the most danceable on the album so far, drawing some sonic influence from The Weeknd and Dua Lipa's experimentation with the dark '80s/new wave aesthetic. The dynamic motion of the track is also maintained really well, with elements constantly dropping out and reappearing to create clear sections and movement. The bridge also sees one of my favorite vocal moments from Sophie on the album, as her vocal steadily builds towards plaintive, pleading high notes that sound excellent as she asks, "Am I the cause?" over and over. After listening a couple times, "Drew's Interlude" is a personal highlight from the album for me. The track's strong chorus, heartfelt lyricism, and danceable groove all merge together into a juggernaut pop song that made a very strong case for Sophie's unique talents as a songwriter and performer.

"This album is a reflection of my experiences of the past few years of college… Musically, I was inspired by Grimes, Lil Peep, Ethel Cain, and Gorillaz." –Sophie Yera

 

"Till Death Do Us Part" keeps the dance aesthetic going, opening with heavily-sidechained synth chords that articulate sweet seventh chords over a subdued, chill drum groove. Sophie's vocal layering came through especially nicely here, with some tight doubles reinforcing and bulking up the lead vocal without smearing over the lyrics too much; the overall styling reminded me a lot of MGMT and Empire of the Sun, an aesthetic Sophie pulls off remarkably well. The track's chorus is also really strong, with a slight switch in the chord progression providing us with a sense of forward movement to accompany the repetitions of "I think I'm free". The second verse also brings a handful of fun vocal moments, such as the literal pause for breath after the line "I feel like I can finally breathe", which put a smile on my face! "Till Death Do Us Part" was another favorite of mine, representing the album's continued shift towards a heavier dancepop aesthetic. The track's catchy melodies & sublime production together make a rather strong showcase that Sophie can hold her own as a dancepop artist as well as in the dark & atmospheric soundscapes that outlined much of the album's first half.

The album's penultimate track, "BLACKOUT", opens with a minor guitar line that very much reminds me of early 2000s post-grunge bands like Fuel and Puddle of Mudd, pairing a woozy, broken-chords pattern with a soaring, distorted lead. The pairing of the guitar line with the thick sub and flickering trap drums makes for a combo I actually really enjoyed, again calling back to The Weeknd's mid-2010s output. Sophie's octave-doubled vocal, paired with a distorted, pitch-shifted version of itself, creates a suitably demented atmosphere without reducing intelligibility too much. Her lyrics discuss the sensation of being too drunk after a night of clubbing, a subject she manages to portray in a uniquely slinky, menacing manner on account of the track's dark musicality and reverb-heavy percussion. With the track's catchy repeated chorus of "I can't feel anything at all" and strong verses combined with the grungy trap instrumental, this track is a definite vibe switch that nonetheless gels perfectly with Sophie's aesthetic. "BLACKOUT" was another definite standout track for me, and one that I'll definitely continue listening to down the road!

The album closes with its title track, which opens with a dramatic string orchestra and synth pads together in tandem as Sophie whispers distantly from the background. On first listen, I wish I could understand the whispered vocal a little better in order to get at the narrative of the album a little more. The synth pads support while at once ceding the spotlight to Sophie's theatrical vocal performance, as she meditates on every iteration of herself she's been through in order to reach this point. Like the opener, this track embraces a sort of slow burn aesthetic, staying in a stripped-back downtempo soundscape for much of the track's duration before bringing in some drums and upping the pulse in the track's outro section, which sees Sophie distantly belting out some sustained melodic lines in a way that almost reminds me a little of Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig in the Sky" off of The Dark Side of the Moon. Part of me does wish this outro soared a little bit more—I found myself really wishing for a greater sense of catharsis, whether that means more aggressive drums, a more beefy instrumental, a more freeing vocal performance from Sophie. As much as I do respect the decision to keep it a little more constrained and lowkey, I felt like it didn't fully deliver the sense of closure I wanted to really wrap up this album. All the same, though, maybe leaving it slightly open-ended is intentional, and serves a larger purpose I'm not fully seeing—so I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. Either way, this title track does an excellent job at stripping back the layers of persona progressively built up over the album in attempt to remind us of Sophie's very human vulnerabilities once more.

Looking back on Final Girl as a whole, I think it makes for a commendable debut project that does a lot to solidify Sophie's artistic identity. The moody, synthy, atmospheric production and detached, slightly deadpan vocal stylings over steady, resolute drum grooves paints a clear picture of the under-the-surface emotional turmoil that drove this album's creation. Indeed, Sophie's skill in using sound design and production to create vivid images is a potent strength of this project. The use of reverb in combination with dark synth patches creates a consistent vibe that matches much of the promotional material for this project—heavy with grays and blacks, the life & color squeezed from the landscape like the sickly pale of the recently departed. Sophie's vocal style descends from the school of Lorde, and more recently, Billie Eilish, embracing a similar teen Goth/alternative pop aesthetic in its detachment from explicit emotion. Additionally, as a writer of melodies, Sophie proves to be capable of penning catchy melodic shapes that do a consistently excellent job at hooking the listener's ear. In this way, Final Girl does a lot to highlight and showcase many of the artistic strengths that make Sophie Yera unique.

 

"The album explores themes of adolescence, love, friendship, and betrayal through the lens of the final girl archetype. I was really inspired by this trope found in horror films because I'm a cinephile." –Sophie Yera

I do have a couple points of contention with the project, though, some more nitpicky than others! I think that the project could have started and ended more strongly—the use of two slow burn-style tracks for both the opener and the closer was something that I felt robbed the album of some of the energy of its opening entrance and the closure & catharsis of its stage exit. I found that the vocal mixes on many of the tracks, especially the more atmospheric tracks ("Crystal Lake", "Gone Girl", the title track, and the opening half of "Crazy" most of all) had a tendency to lean towards being telephonic, sweeping out a ton of low-mid frequency information and accenting sibilant frequencies in a way that ended up making them slightly piercing. Under normal circumstances, this might not have impacted my enjoyment of the project too much, but the aforementioned vocal mixing decisions in synergy with the liberal use of reverb had the combined effect of smearing out Sophie's lyrics, rendering them quite difficult to understand on a lot of tracks. Try as I might across multiple listens, I was unable to discern what was being said at many moments throughout the project. As a result, I'm afraid that the higher themes and overarching narrative of this project mostly eluded me and remained beyond my understanding—which is a shame, since the stated premise of Final Girl being based upon the eponymous horror movie archetype is an intriguing one, and I wish I was able to delve further into Sophie's exploration of that idea. Of course, there are exceptions to this issue; "Till Death Do Us Part" and "BLACKOUT" especially were generally easy to follow, but this felt like too little material for me to draw sweeping conclusions about the themes of the project as a whole. (It's also likely no small coincidence that the three tracks I found most intelligible are likely my favorites from the album overall.) It pains me to say, but I feel as though I am still uncertain about what exactly Sophie's story is. While Sophie's showcase of her artistic aesthetic and sonic image is a very strong one, the resultant lack of insight into her songwriting and lyrics leaves something of a blank spot in the album's lasting impression—which is a part of this debut project I cannot ignore.

Still, though, there are a great many things this project does well. Maybe this is just me waxing nostalgic for a moment, but I actually found that it reminded me a lot of my own debut project in a lot of ways: rough around the edges in some areas, sure, but no less earnest & heartfelt in its illumination of what the path ahead might look for Sophie. The album's forays into uptempo dance on "Drew's Interlude" and "Till Death Do Us Part" were undoubtedly my favorite moments on the project, followed closely by the exploration of grungy pop-trap on "BLACKOUT"; all three tracks show very exciting glimpses into very catchy alt-pop territory that feels very her, and teases an artistic space that Sophie can well and truly make her own. I remain ever more excited to see what she brings us from here, and will wait eagerly to see which direction she chooses as she continues to forge her own path.

Personal enjoyment score: 7 out of 10

Standout tracks: "Crystal Lake", "Drew's Interlude", "Till Death Do Us Part", "BLACKOUT"

ALBUM REVIEW: nickwuh - us against the universe

On us against the universe, nickwuh presents a vision that is eclectic, inspired, and driven by killer pop songwriting.

Reviewed by Ash

 

 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: As always, before reading this review, please support nickwuh by streaming or purchasing the album! The project can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music, and in limited form on Soundcloud. Please also consider checking out the Genius page for this album, which contains lyrics and comments from nickwuh; I will be referring to this page regularly throughout this review.

 

An earlier version of this article misidentified the Collegium listening session at which Nick had presented his music; this has now been corrected.

 

IF YOU WERE TO CROSS the pop songwriting sensibilities of Taylor Swift, Sufjan Stevens, Porter Robinson, and Keshi with the production talents of Clarence Clarity, Travis Barker, and A.G. Cook, you might end up somewhere close to the niche which nickwuh has carved himself. I was first introduced to Nick Wu's music via a track he presented in the September Collegium listening session, which merged math rock and hyperpop aesthetics into a well-rounded and interesting package. The resulting song caught my ear, and I found myself excited to hear what else Nick's back catalogue had to offer, so when I heard there was a new album from him, I eagerly pulled it up and started working on this review.

As a freshman in the MTech program, Nick has emerged from the pandemic with a fully-realized artistic vision with his third full-length LP, us against the universe. The sheer ambition and scope of this project is obvious right away; boasting 17 tracks, supported by six singles, featuring an entire CMS class's worth of featured artists, and clocking in at a hefty one hour and fourteen minutes, us against the universe is an impressive, gargantuan effort that showcases Nick's seasoned expertise in production and songwriting. Especially when compared to more typical MTech student projects, which tend to be smaller in scale and on the shorter side in general, the huge scope and sprawling vision of this LP is obvious. The music reflects this ambition as well, as Nick sinks his teeth into a variety of sounds drawn from a wide body of artistic influences to create a truly eclectic body of work that seamlessly slides from hyperpop to EDM to pop punk with ease. The lyrics deal with relationships, growing up, and the difficulties of life in the pandemic, as Nick bares his soul to create a massively compelling coming-of-age story that synergizes perfectly with his production choices. In short, us against the universe is a masterful showcase of eclectic production, pop songwriting, and tasteful genre crossovers coming together to create an album experience that feels fresh, futuristic, and heartfelt all at once.

 

In my own personal opinion, I believe that the opening track is one of the most important parts of an album; as the first taste of the entire tracklist, the opening track establishes the listener's expectations for the entire LP. With this in mind, "celeste", the first track and lead single from the album, does its job remarkably well. The track opens with a long intro, propelled by huge, epic synthesizers that slowly increase in tempo, backed by cinematic hits and heavy synth bass; the resulting sense of anticipation makes the entrance of the first verse almost a full minute into the song all the more pleasing. We get nicely doubled vocals from Nick and the featured artist, fayling, over a beat that lands somewhere between trap and soft hyperpop. Nick and fayling have remarkable vocal chemistry together, and their voices blend together seamlessly. The beat boasts thick 808 bass and a sparse drum pattern behind simple acoustic guitar arpeggios, making for a nice pop vibe, while Nick's consistently catchy vocal melodies continually elevate the song. The second verse's first half sees fayling's vocals take the lead, and they sound amazing, delivering a heartfelt, tender take on Nick's melody that simultaneously exudes confidence and conviction. Nick himself brings a smooth, soaring falsetto during the song's bridge. Overall, "celeste" makes for a promising opening to the record, with its earworm melodies, tasteful production, and strong performances providing the listener with a solid taste of what we can expect from the sixteen tracks ahead. 

The next track and second single from the album, "life story", opens with an upbeat, major key synth riff over drums that straddle the line between 808-style electronic drums and punchy, compressed Travis Barker-esque acoustic drum samples. As the track builds to its chorus, we get huge saw chords mixed with tasteful guitar melodies; the overall vibe lands somewhere between hyperpop and pop punk, which makes for an entertaining and catchy listen. We also get a short instrumental break led by a synth solo before the track's second chorus, which is a pleasing switch-up that deviates from the typical verse-chorus pattern in a tasteful and well-executed way. The halftime break in the song's last chorus is another example of a production curveball that subverts the listener's expectations in a nice way. Nick's lyricism shines especially brightly on this track, as he discusses heartbreak and the hopelessness of love in the context of the pandemic with earnest vulnerability. I found this track especially relatable, and I thought it perfectly captured the frustration of searching for love amidst the loneliness of the pandemic-era directionless spiral that defined our lives during those years. In reference to the song's lyrics, Nick explains, "I had this mindset of, 'what's even the point in getting to know this person if all that's gonna result from this is pain and discomfort for both of us?'"—a sentiment that the song's presentation communicates loud and clear (source: Genius).

 

For the third track, "dying to see you", we slow down a little. This track dates from "a few days into the pandemic", so it "dates way back", in Nick's own words (source: Genius). I never would have guessed that this track was over two years old, since the execution is just as polished as everything we've seen so far. The track opens with moody vocals over a sad acoustic guitar riff and nicely-arranged strings, which calls back to the deep, raw pathos of artists like Sufjan Stevens for me. Despite the sadder atmosphere, this song's chorus is just as catchy as its predecessors, and the drums crashing in make for a welcome addition. The song also serves as a great opportunity for Nick to show off his vocals. The harmonies on this track are really nice, with some nice harmonic moments cropping up during the verses; the choruses have some beautiful octave doubling as well. During the last couple of choruses, Nick introduces this lovely flat second chord that sounds great in context; Nick has a real penchant for introducing the occasional non-diatonic chord as extra flavor, which is something I really admire. He also turns in a captivating lead vocal performance, as he gives us these stunning high notes during the last chorus that convincingly cement him as a skilled vocalist in addition to his production and songwriting talents.

"amber" opens with a crazy, swung synth pattern backed by equally groovy drums. The result ends up feeling like Nick's take on early '90s new jack swing through a hyperpop lens—a mix which he manages to make feel impressively natural. The chorus boasts a call-and-response between Nick's third-octave lead vocals and a falsetto backing vocal, which adds a great sense of movement and dynamism to the chorus. The track goes full EDM during its last chorus, introducing a huge synth saw lead as Nick's lead vocals soar into the upper fourth octave. I'm not sure I love the EDM elements of the last chorus, since it takes the song into territory that makes it feel a little overproduced for me, but as per usual, the songwriting and underlying tune remain great either way. Nick writes, "that idea of meeting your life partner at an early age feels so precious to me, so I wrote this song about that", and the themes of innocence and uncertainty inherent in young adult romance shine through the EDM presentation of this song to give it an endearing atmosphere underneath the maximalist production (source: Genius).

"the painter" is one of the more musically complex tracks on the album, and it took me a few listens to wrap my head around it fully. Subtle, crackling Rhodes keyboards open this track as Nick croons softly over some really nice backing harmonies; his opening line ("Technicolor reverie, acrylic-laden dreams/Retrospective pondering at four in the morning") instantly paints (haha) a vivid and sharply-realized picture in just a couple short lines. By the first pre-chorus, understated acoustic guitars enter the mix as the track begins a quiet storm-style, subtle buildup. Soon after, we get a crazy tempo switch that somehow works perfectly with the established 12/8 groove. As the choruses continue, the track builds to include a huge kick drum and heavy, sidechained synth bass before eventually segueing into a pseudo-orchestral break chracterized by staccato string chords and marching snares. As a listener, I felt like I was getting whiplash from the many switch-ups and stylistic changes in this track, but it didn't take too much away from my enjoyment of the track. On the Genius page for this song, Nick explains that the track is, in part, about dementia and memory loss, which works amazingly well with the disorienting & rapidly shifting production. I definitely wouldn't pull up this track looking for a straightforward pop song, but as a meaningful piece of concept art that borders on the avant-garde, I respect it tremendously.

 

Pictured above: Nick Wu, the man behind the madness of us against the universe.

The following track, "my everest", is a huge standout track from the album for me. The track opens with ethereal, sparkling synth arpeggios over a four-on-the-floor kick drum and warm electric guitars, making for another track that feels very pop punk to me. I really love the drum work on this track; the electronic 808 drums are mashed up seamlessly with acoustic drum samples in a way that never feels unnatural. The pattern constantly shifts and always gives the listener something new to grab onto. A deep bass and driving rhythm under one of Nick's best vocal melodies so far make this one of my favorite choruses on the record. The verses are interestingly assembled, consisting mostly of Nick trading lines back and forth with the various features (Jason Solo in the first verse, and lil slav in the second). Jason takes the lead vocals during the bridge, turning in a tender and heartfelt vocal performance with a nicely-textured timbre to his voice. The track also gets a huge beat switch in its final act, when the tempo slows down and the electronic drums are entirely replaced with acoustic drums for a moment that fully leans into the track's pop punk influences. I catch some Sum 41 and New Found Glory in the song's presentation, which I really love; the faithful stylistic rendering of pop punk maps remarkably well over Nick's established style. The vocalist during this final act, Izomii, has a voice that really reminds me of Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low, which suits the pop punk presentation perfectly. The production on this track is killer and the contributions of the numerous assembled features combine for an absolutely outstanding result. Nick used every feature smartly, and no one feels out of place on the song. This track is indisputably one of my favorites on the record and the mishmash of styles works perfectly here.

 

In sharp contrast to the preceding track, "worry me" opens with soft vocals, downtempo drums, acoustic bass, and low-key, shimmering electric guitars that create a vibe significantly more indebted to R&B than we've heard previously. I catch some stylistic flourishes reminiscent of Trey Songz and Usher coming through in the pop/R&B crossover mixture that this song presents. The second verse shakes up the established formula, with some nicely-performed piano parts giving way to a tasteful, retro '70s clav sound, and later, acoustic guitar arpeggios. The two featured artists, haz and raddydydy, are utilized perfectly as well, performing some really nice duet parts and backing vocals together.

Nick gets a chance to show off his excellent falsetto during the slow burn verses on "dream journal", delivering angelic, soaring melodies over shimmering production. The vocal harmonies sound great on this track, thanks in part to stvphn's excellent performance during the song's choruses, and it's obvious that a lot of effort went into the sound selection on this track. We get ethereal synth bells, mournful piano, soaring strings, cavernous synth pads, and subtle but distinctive reverb-soaked drums, resulting in a lush soundscape that suits this track's more contemplative and dreamy (get it? …okay I promise I'll stop) mood perfectly. nothenri takes over lead vocals on the bridge, delivering vocals that sound influenced by R&B with a decidedly folksy edge. "worry me" and "dream journal" together make for an excellent contemplative moment in the middle of the tracklist, and constitute a nice break from the full-force pop songs that define much of the rest of the record.

Panning staccato string chords introduce "all it costs is your love", giving this track an almost-Taylor Swift kind of feel—though Nick himself credits the 1975 as an inspiration for this particular element (source: Genius). This is an aesthetic paralleled by the vocal performance of Luoe, who sings the intro, and JerFlor, who takes the first verse. By the time Pikoyin takes over to sing the chorus, we get crashing claps, towering risers, and EDM synths that make this track feel like it was made for the dance floor. This track admittedly isn't my favorite; I don't feel like the EDM aesthetic maps over Nick's style quite as well as the pop punk, singer-songwriter, and hyperpop styles with which Nick has already successfully experimented. Nevertheless, the second chorus is admittedly a pretty cool listen, as Pikoyin's vocals get mangled and manipulated in increasingly interesting ways, which was definitely cool to experience. Even though I didn't love this track, it's undeniably a very strong showcase for Nick's talents as a producer.

 

Surreal, reverb-heavy vocal chops open "spring day", floating on a bed of trap drums and otherworldly, heady synthesizer arpeggios. As the track builds, we get choppy, flickering synth chords and angelic falsetto backing vocals, imbuing the track with a soaring, heavenly feeling that I found quite infectious. Nick's lyrics also shine here, and the ideas of wanting to stop growing up and risk losing those around you come through beautifully in the plaintive request, "Just forget that the seasons change". We get a more overt switch to EDM in the track's final act, as Nick throws us a four-on-the-floor kick pattern along with some huge, sidechained saw chords. I feel that this is a much better EDM crossover song than its immediate predecessor, riding on production that straddles the line between electronica and trap, bolstered by a strong, catchy pop chorus. The halftime break at the end of the song where the intro beat returns is also really cool, and Aston's performance on the second verse is quite well-done. "spring day" definitely stands out as a super unique vibe amongst the rest of the tracks, with its psychedelic and otherworldly production making it one of your favorite instrumentals on the LP. It captures the "inching inevitability of college" and communicates the fear of growing up and losing touch before the lyrics even kick in (source: Genius). I found this to be a very relatable track, and Nick presents it in such a vulnerable and endearing way that I can't help but empathize with it.

 

"stickaround" returns to a hyperpop aesthetic, flaunting a pop punk lead vocal performance over big saw chords and heavy trap drums. Nick gives us a rap verse where he brings the heat, showcasing rapid-fire flows in a performance filled with heartfelt intensity. The final choruses sees him really let the vocals rip, letting out some metal-ish screams as he climbs into his upper register. I really dig the more overtly rock-influenced vocals on this track, and I catch some shades of Derek DiScanio and Jon Lundin in this vocal performance as Nick once again proves he can hold his own vocally in a wide variety of different styles.

As for the following track, "blush", a four-chord piano melody solidifies this track's more straightforward pop feel. When the chorus hits, we get huge, choral backing vocals under an anthemic melody. This track really made me respect Nick's versatility as a vocal performer; he switches back and forth between laconic pop punk singing and tender, expressive crooning effortlessly, with primarily the latter style on display in this track. Nick's vocals and songwriting shine especially brightly here. His vocals feel a little more raw and a little more natural, so his performance absolutely works in this context. About the lyrical content, Nick explains, "it's about regretful timing, and so all you can do is wish them the best in life", and his regret and pining absolutely sells this song for me (source: Genius). He sounds remarkably heartfelt and emotional as he delivers his serenade, and this performance pairs perfectly with the production, showing us that he can excel in a stripped-back, straight-up love song like this one.

 

"anastasia" is an acoustic guitar ballad with a DIY singer-songwriter feel. The mixing isn't super polished or professional-sounding during the first verse, but I find that that decision adds a lot to the vibe; the rustling noise and lo-fi static give the track an endearing and organic presentation. Nick wastes no time returning us to familiar places, though, as we soon transition back to a synthy beat with trap drums. At this point, I started to worry a little that the sound of the album would begin to grow old, but the crashing, thick power chords that entered during the chorus were a really nice touch and proved me thoroughly wrong. The second verse brings cool guitar arpeggios that are variously chopped up and reversed to create a rhythmically complex and deep soundscape. After the second chorus, we get a sick curveball transition into a drum & bass break, which was definitely super unexpected and added a lot to my enjoyment of the track. We then transition further into a steady pop punk final chorus with pounding acoustic drums and thick guitar chords. The track's final act returns us to the DIY feeling of the track's opening, with Nick performing falsetto runs over crackling, reverb-heavy piano and lush harmonies. The diverse, shifting production and wide variety of styles explored in this track make it a wild journey from start to finish; I love the way that everything is executed, and the cyclical nature of the song's presentation returning us to a lo-fi aesthetic makes for quite a pleasing listen. I absolutely love this track and Nick deserves all the props for pulling off such a rhapsodian mismash of styles in a manner that feels this cohesive and grounded.

On the following track, "standstill", acoustic guitar riffs become bolstered by filtered synths over a sparse drum groove to open the track. The second verse brings pseudo-choral backing vocals that back up Nick's lead vocal in beautiful fashion. The track constantly shifts between light, downtempo trap and peppy, guitar-driven power pop. Nick even gives us a rap verse before the track's climactic final chorus, when the guitars swell and mix with the synth chords in an overpowering wall of sound. The breakdown at the end of this last chorus is absolutely insane and points to more unhinged, maximalist, Dorian Electra-style hyperpop than Nick has gone for on the whole album. Arpeggiated bass and aggressive, swarming synthesizers give this track a decidedly memorable outro.

Swung percussion makes for another techno/new jack swing style crossover on "cherish". The chorus melody soars, and the background vocals during the second verse are very nicely done. Mangled vocals characterize the song's bridge, and the vocals from mollywithawhy are a nice touch; she delivers a beautifully cutting line in the form of, "You mean the world, I'd give up my soul/To quiet your nerves and steady your heartbeat", wracked with palpable emotion. We go full EDM during the song's instrumental break, with a big lead synth coming to the front and skittering up and down its upper register over sidechained chords. I'm not the biggest fan of this track, though it may just be lingering ear fatigue since we're fifteen tracks deep by this point. The track boasts a solid chorus and eclectic production; I just wish it stood out a little more from the other songs in the tracklist.

Nick, in the process of tracking vocals.
 

As we near the end of the album, in spite of my feeling a little worn out as a listener, "ecstasy" quite firmly wrenched me away from my ear fatigue with its endearing DIY spirit. The nicely layered vocals and passionate vocal performance once again call back to the stylistic leanings of Sufjan Stevens. The guitar work on this track is truly aces; the soft and expressive playing perfectly communicates the tender emotion of this track, which makes for a meditative and warm penultimate track. The piano and guitar-driven instrumental is sparse and tastefully restrained, and this stripped-back style suits Nick really well. "I hope you learn to love yourself again" has to be one of my favorite lines on the record… so simple, and yet it says so much and cuts so deep that I can't help but resonate with Nick's increasingly emotional performance. Unlike many of the other songs, whose Genius pages generally have longer-form descriptions that sometimes span multiple paragraphs, "ecstasy" has a page that simply reads: "I wrote 'ecstasy' for someone who meant a lot to me for a short while", which I feel is perfect; nothing more needed to be said about it (source: Genius). This is absolutely a standout track, with pathos and feeling practically oozing from it. Something tells me I wouldn't complain too much if Nick were to release a whole album like this.

The record goes out with a bang in the form of the eight-minute, wonderfully ambitious "breathing colors". The song opens with a swung groove and a chord progression that sounds rather indebted to indie pop, despite the distinctly hyperpop-esque heavy synth chords, autotuned vocals (courtesy of k_m), and blippy leads that define the opening act. The moment where everything drops out minus the lead vocal and a lush, textured vocoder is so good it shouldn't even be allowed (I am definitely biased, since I always love a good vocoder break). Soon enough, though, the vocoder goes the way of the dodo, and we get a chorus defined by absolutely massive guitar chords that transition us into a more trap-influenced second verse that calls back to the sound palette of the album's opening tracks, albeit this time with a more introspective slant, and poetic verses delivered by featured chazles and evz. A long middle break with a narration from koen eventually builds to a huge, crashing chorus; Nick climbs the ladder into his crystal-clear upper register, and later, into metal screams, as he asks "can I stop to breathe?" amidst rising synths. The pop punk aesthetics of some of the earlier tracks make a triumphant return as we break into 6/8 time and the drums slam into focus amidst heavy, hard-edged power chords. The climactic final section of the track uses piano and strings under k_m's lightly textured vocals. As strange as it feels to end the album on a voice that's not Nick's, the track carries so much emotion that I don't really feel bothered by it. At the end of this long album, the track feels very much like a cathartic release of all the pent-up heartbreak, pandemic miasma, and pervasive self-doubt we've spent the last hour and fourteen minutes exploring. I was utterly emotionally spent by the end of it. The ambition of this track is truly stunning—though to be honest, I don't see myself listening to it much, unless I'm prepared to be a little sad for a while after I'm finished listening. I suppose that's a sign of an artistic vision, clearly conceptualized and executed with surgical precision and heartfelt conviction.

nickwuh, performing live in Washington Square Park.
 

My overall thoughts on this album can perhaps best be summarized by articulating the jealousy I feel when listening to us against the universe, chiefly because I definitely wasn't making anything as polished, focused, or inspired as this when I was a freshman! Nick's consistently catchy songwriting and vocal melodies anchor this record, pairing with his diverse production to create a one-two punch that together forms the album's biggest strength. He has a great sense for writing interesting pop songs, relying on catchy chord progressions while throwing in the occasional non-diatonic chord and melody switch-up to keep things interesting. His songwriting choices almost invariably feel earned and natural, and all of the bridge sections scattered throughout the LP show off his innate ability to manage the emotional flow of each song. The production is also truly wonderful, showcasing a real feel for sound selection and design. Nick's instrumentals never feel static, and the constantly evolving soundscape of each track pairs with crazy, left-field switch-ups and various crossgenre combinations to create a record that is at once nostalgic and indebted to the enduring familiarity of pop music as it is unpredictable, thrilling, and futuristic in its determination to keep pushing the envelope forward.

Nick also cements himself as a smart curator of features on this record, as he pulls from a sizable pool of featured artists and distributes them amongst the tracklist in ways that almost always serve the song and add to the overall experience. None of the features stood out as being particularly misplaced, which I think speaks to the strength of Nick's creative vision, as well as the musical talents of all involved. My one gripe with the features, especially the more masculine performers, is that I wish the performances and the mixes made the features sound more distinct as compared to Nick; without the help of the Genius lyric pages, which clearly delineate who is singing at any given time, I would have had a difficult time determining where all the features were actually placed. Nonetheless, I found the features to be another defining strength of this project, and some of the more stylistically distinct features (Izomii on "my everest" and Aston on "spring day" are particular standouts) added a lot to my enjoyment of the songs. While not every stylistic crossover experiment on the LP yielded results that I fell in love with, the album as a whole is an impressive display of eclecticism that unquestionably speaks to Nick's abilities as a true musical chameleon. I very much enjoyed us against the universe, and I am especially intrigued to see how nickwuh follows up this record and its universe-sized artistic vision.

Personal enjoyment score: 8.5 out of 10

Standout tracks: "celeste", "dying to see you", "my everest", "dream journal", "spring day", "blush", "anastasia", "ecstasy", "breathing colors"

ALBUM REVIEW: Dog Collar - Turbo Squid

Full of punk spirit, Dog Collar's Turbo Squid is a frenetic, feverish journey through electronic music.

Reviewed by Ash

AUTHOR'S NOTE: As always, please remember to support Dog Collar by streaming, or even better, purchasing this album! I've provided links to the project on Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, and Bandcamp.

LAST WEEK, I FOUND MYSELF very excited to review Kid Reno's Techno for Children and Dogs, a record which I rapidly fell in love with over its diverse, intensely creative, utterly head-spinning production. (Feel free to read our full review of Techno for Children and Dogs, attached here!) Imagine my surprise when I found out that Dog Collar a.k.a. Sunil Prabhu, who can invariably be found by Kid Reno's side during their joint live performances, had also released a concurrent album. Going in, I hoped that Dog Collar's Turbo Squid would follow and expand upon the strengths already showcased in Kid Reno's latest LP, as well as those in his own previous release, sunil album 3, released back in May. Additionally, I was eager to compare the two producers and unpack the musical ideas they share in common, while also interrogating how they each pursue their own distinct artistic journeys.

After listening through a few times, I'm pleased to say that Turbo Squid gave me all that and more. With nine tracks and 38 minutes of runtime, Dog Collar gives himself enough space to fully flesh out and explore each and every musical idea on the record; no one track is shorter than two and a half minutes, and I was never left feeling like a song had ended too soon. In my Kid Reno review, I had previously commented that Techno for Children & Dogs sounded like it was made for the dance floor, and while that is still true, it also had its fair share of meditative, chilled-out, and even peaceful moments amidst all its dance and techno influences. On the other hand, Turbo Squid brings a nonstop frenetic energy that doesn't let up for the entire album. The tracklist is stuffed with bangers that would feel right at home blasting out of massive speakers at a nightclub somewhere. Dog Collar wants you to headbang, and he doesn't want you to stop for a moment until the album is done and you're utterly spent. While I will readily admit to not being especially familiar with Dog Collar's brand of ultra-energetic, serrated, hard-edged dance music, this album provided a unique experience I'm not likely to forget anytime soon.

 The dynamic duo, Kid Reno (left) and Dog Collar (right), putting on a joint live performance together.

Our first taste of the album comes in the form of desolate, distant synth leads over manipulated robotic voices in the opening track, "Eye in the Sky". Soon enough, a frenzied, chaotic breakbeat enters as the chords develop a decidedly ominous tone and a high synth arp starts subtly lining the chords. A wubby slide bass and diverse drum fills define the next section of the track, which seems to have the ultimate goal of inducing spine-breaking levels of headbanging in the listener. The vibes are very hard-edged and punk right out of the gate, which I love; the track's dusty-sounding snare samples and heavy, modulating bass repeatedly recur throughout the record, keeping the punk vibes going strong. Despite the record's heavily electronic sound, Dog Collar has managed to utterly capture the spirit of punk on this record, which is something that caught my intrigue right away.

"Very Tired" sees various computer machinery sound effects giving the intro to this track a bit of an apocalyptic cyberpunk aesthetic that I thought worked really well with Dog Collar's sound. Cool reversed drums and a growling bass orient us by giving us a sense of rhythm before the breakbeat enters. The reversed drums lend a really cool sense of movement to the track, and the track undergoes some subtle rhythmic changes headed into the second half that constantly feed the listener something new to fixate on. Dog Collar continually switches up his drum patterns and breakbeats for a truly dynamic soundscape, making it so that I, as a listener, was never bored. We even get this interesting, Atari-sounding bitcrushed synth arp towards the back end of the track that I thought was a really great piece of sound design and sound selection.

Two kick drums and a rubbery bassline make for an especially funky and danceable vibe right away on the following track, "Multi Split Scan". An offbeat, acoustic-sounding snare and warm analog synth pads further cement this vibe; even when the track undergoes a bit of a mood switch and the chords become more dissonant, the vibes remain funky. We get a true beat switch at the song's halfway point, when the track changes key and the drums go half-time over a sick, oscillating bass patch that gives the resulting soundscape a significantly darker, green-tinted vibe. You could have told me that this whole song had stepped right out of the soundtrack for The Matrix and I wouldn't have batted an eye; it really is that good. Dog Collar's work with drums and synthesizers on this track combined with killer bass melodies make this one of my favorite instrumentals on the record.

Sampled Gregorian chanting forms the foundation of the instrumental to "greg"; Dog Collar manipulates the various vocal chops in interesting ways to create a layered melody with a lot of rhythmic movement. The choppy breakbeat and subtle sub bass adds a distinctly menacing vibe. The chops become increasingly digitized and robotic-sounding in the track's middle section, where the drums drop out to let us focus on the increasingly mangled vocals at the center of the song. Like Kid Reno's "YOU CAN'T KILL THEM ALL_145", this track really made me develop an appreciation for Dog Collar's talents as a sampler and manipulator of audio.

Thankfully, the impressive sampling work doesn't end there, as a sped-up, chipmunked pop sample forms the heart of the next track, "froufrou". Dog Collar's added drums give the sample an interesting cinematic tilt; I really like the sound selection for the drums on this track in particular, as the super punchy and powerful snare feels like a natural fit with Dog Collar's established sound. The regular-speed version of the sample occasionally surfacing is also a really nice arrangement touch, and I love the moments when the vocals poke through the mix and come to the front before then once more being submerged beneath the insane production. As the track continues, the offbeat groove becomes supplemented with saw melodies and a trap-style 808 bass. I don't quite know how to articulate the mix of emotions that the pop sample and frenetic, hard-edged production makes me feel, but I think it's a really nice combination and it certainly made for one of the most unique and enjoyable listens on the record.

"Revolutionary Girl" brings more sampling trickery as we get stacked and manipulated choral vocal samples. About a minute in, a growling, distorted synth bass appears that mimics the vocal melody in cool ways. The amplitude-modulated lead synth that enters at the track's halfway point is also a nice touch that furthers the wild spirit of this song. Dog Collar also gives us a new arrangement of the vocal sample shortly afterwards, with the rest of the synth parts updated to match. Dog Collar's melodies really shine on this track, as everything comes together to create a thoroughly feverish and energetic experience that is sure to fuel many dance floors to come.

On "Praise Dobbler", a really richly textured, warm analog pad plays seventh chords under a slightly bitcrushed lead vocal before an insane, uptempo drum pattern enters. Despite the breakneck tempo, this song has a relatively chill atmosphere compared to others on the album, and the synth pad and vocals go together perfectly. We slow down a little bit when the drums go halftime, giving us a brief moment to breathe before we kick back into full speed. I don't know if I'd exactly characterize this track as "relaxing" in isolation, but in context with the rest of the record, it's a little calmer and I appreciate the unique vibe it cultivates very much.

The final two tracks feature the only guest performer on the record, alsoknownasrox—whom I assume helped out with the production. "Turbo Track" opens with an African-sounding bongo pattern under an orchestral string sample, which lends this track a heavily cinematic feel. Soon, chopped-up rap vocals enter, broken up into various chunks that are then scattered over the arrangement in interesting ways. A reversed lead synth and harmonically-rich synth bass continue feeding the listener interesting things to hold onto. I also love the incorporation of what sound like subtle guitar power chords; although mixed very low, whatever that particular sound element is, it works perfectly in the context of the full song. As the track enters its final act, rich strings return, playing an ascending melody; the vibes of this track are unmistakably large in scale and cinematic at heart. Truly one of the most turbo tracks of all time.

Dog Collar doesn't make us wait long for the sequel, since "Turbo Track Two" follows immediately after as the final track on the album. It begins with an expansive-sounding organ sample over pounding, tight kick drums that modulate and change timbre as the song goes on. The drums drop out a bit later in the track, replaced by chimes that make for a momentary break in the action, leading us into a clean, simple breakbeat that ends the album on a more muted note. As much as I respect Dog Collar's decision to not go super maximalist just because it's the last track, I do wish the track carried a little bit more dynamism and variation. Maybe it's a factor of its length; at only two minutes and thirty seconds, "Turbo Track Two" doesn't get anywhere near as long as the other tracks do to develop and progress its musical ideas. Either way, though, the ending track wasn't my favorite, though it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the record too much.

Speaking of my enjoyment of the record, in case it wasn't clear already, I really like this album. Coming into this album fresh off of having just fallen in love with Techno for Children and Dogs made for an interesting experience as well, as Dog Collar gives us something significantly more wild, intense, and punk that nonetheless also demonstrates a really solid and well-rounded skill set. His acumen for melodies, arrangement, sound design, sound selection, drum programming, and general creativity are all on display in full force here. The LP feels very cohesive; similar sound selection and production choices run through all nine tracks, generating a very strong feeling of being pulled firmly into Dog Collar's universe for 38 minutes. The album feels like a condensed package of potential energy; the sheer amount of forceful potency and wild exultation radiating from the music make it a thoroughly memorable, albeit very intense, listening experience. I can't wait to hear these tracks live; at the next Dog Collar/Kid Reno live show, look around, and there's a fairly good chance you might see me very much enjoying myself!

Personal enjoyment score: 8 out of 10

Standout tracks: "Multi Split Scan", "froufrou", "Praise Dobbler", "Turbo Track"