Music Review: Poppy Grows Up And Goes Dark Popy With Genreblending Album 'Zig'

Poppy's fifth studio album, Zig, is not quite dark pop, not quite techno, not quite a genre, but rather a blend of different styles and an example of the path she has taken since her debut five years ago.

“Zig” is a departure from Poppy's old bubblegum sound for those who remember her 2017 debut album “Poppy.Computer,” based on her first encounter with the cute and strange pseudo-AI Poppy, discovered by the first time in surreal film. Video on YouTube in 2015. The blond robot Zig is not seen, but this is not surprising: she has been gone for a long time.

Poppy's style and sound began to change with the release of her second album, Am I a Girl? This began to change towards heavy metal, followed in 2020 by the darker "I Disagree". He stripped it down for the more alternative “Flux” and is now back with “Zig,” the finest collection of his previous work.

Supported by synthesizers and electronic beats, the sweet voice of the 28-year-old singer-songwriter, born Morea Rose Pereira, can be heard on “Zig” in a variety of forms, from heavy metal screams to emotional ballads. I have to understand his tone, but Zig is confident, which means he knows exactly what he's doing.

Album highlights include “Knockoff,” a powerful folk anthem, and “Motorbike,” a zoomed-in image of a free spirit on a motorcycle. (“Girl on a motorcycle/No one can limit her/She represents freedom/I am her,” he sings.)

Drawbacks include songs with boring, repetitive lyrics, like “1s + 0s,” and, unfortunately, the eponymous song “Zig,” whose chorus goes something like this:

“If you're curvy, I'm curvy/If you're curvy, I'm curvy/I'm curvy.”

OH?

It's especially amazing when the lyrics of other songs are pure poetry. Take, for example, these lines from the charming poem “Linger”: “In the whites of your eyes/I see my future life/smell the lilies in the night/tell me how you will remember me.” »

Overall, “Zig” is an interesting experimental mix that shows how Poppy has grown over the years. Since this album combines so many different genres, there's something for everyone, so it's definitely worth a listen.

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