Much delayed, the second album by LA-based sonic disruptors 100 Gecs – the duo of Dylan Brady and Laura Les – marks a step change in their sound: less Crazy Frog-in-a-blender hyperpop, more going for the mainstream jugular. A handful of derangedly catchy singles have already rolled off the tracklist, highlighting the pair’s fluency with nagging melodies and killer hooks. The glorious Mememe still offers up an earworm crafted from bass and tinnitus. More recently, the pummelling Hollywood Baby showcases their singalong pop-punk roots, its sonic simplicity offset by a nuanced lyric about self-doubt and the cost of living.
Given that 10,000 Gecs is a year-plus late, many of its meme-y moments have already been heard live. In among tracks such as 757 (a chiptune/big beat fusion) and I Got My Tooth Removed (ska-pop as penetrating as a dentist’s drill) are a handful of undershared nuggets. Frog on the Floor is, perhaps, a ska-pop track too far, while Billy Knows Jamie pays homage to rap-rock a little too well. But Dumbest Girl Alive, for example, highlights why this pair remain so exciting: it opens with the THX cinema tone, DJ explosions, a screamed “wooh!” and a guitar riff that dovetails seamlessly into a tinny keyboard line.
