Like Throwing Digital Glass in a Blender, But Still Somehow Endearing
September 8, 2021 8:39 AM Subscribe
This Is Your Brain on 100 gecs (Pitchfork) 10000 gecs carries something of a new sound, a new look—not as internet-y, a tad more mature, but still undoubtedly them. They’re different people now. And the situation has changed. So what if fans don’t think it’s quite as bonkers as their debut—they’re putting in the effort to move forward as only they can, one frog ribbit at a time.
“As I’ve been exploring my voice more, I’m like, ‘I can do this,’” Les says, adding that she started taking vocal lessons on a whim during the making of the album. “And also I’m sick of worrying about it. If I don’t just fucking do it, then I’m just a scaredy cat. And I don’t want to be a scaredy cat.”
Previously
“As I’ve been exploring my voice more, I’m like, ‘I can do this,’” Les says, adding that she started taking vocal lessons on a whim during the making of the album. “And also I’m sick of worrying about it. If I don’t just fucking do it, then I’m just a scaredy cat. And I don’t want to be a scaredy cat.”
Previously
Ooh, I am excited about this!
I bumped into 100 gecs through "artists to watch" list early this year (I think). I fell in love with the insanity, it scratches a musical itch that I didn't know I had. It also led me to other "hyperpop" artists like umru (soundcloud), SOPHIE (youtube) (RIP*), and iglooghost (who recently released an amazing art project of a last album called lei line eon). I find the whole genre very musically exciting.
My first 100 gecs favorites were the typical ones mentioned in the "Previously", but also I really liked this track from their follow up remix album 1,000 gecs and The Tree of Clues (soundcloud).
* SOPHIE tragically died earlier this year falling off a roof in Greece trying to watch the full moon.
posted by pol at 9:08 AM on September 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
I bumped into 100 gecs through "artists to watch" list early this year (I think). I fell in love with the insanity, it scratches a musical itch that I didn't know I had. It also led me to other "hyperpop" artists like umru (soundcloud), SOPHIE (youtube) (RIP*), and iglooghost (who recently released an amazing art project of a last album called lei line eon). I find the whole genre very musically exciting.
My first 100 gecs favorites were the typical ones mentioned in the "Previously", but also I really liked this track from their follow up remix album 1,000 gecs and The Tree of Clues (soundcloud).
* SOPHIE tragically died earlier this year falling off a roof in Greece trying to watch the full moon.
posted by pol at 9:08 AM on September 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
pol, sounds like we have some musical taste in common, also a fan of SOPHIE and iglooghost, didn't know about igloo's newest project or umru I'll check those out.
I know 100 gecs signed gupi (Tony Hawk's son) and Fraxiom, to their label, and SOPHIE sampled gupi and Fraxiom's Thos Moser in her HEAV3N SUSPENDED mix @ 14:13 so it's cool to see collaboration in these groups.
posted by JauntyFedora at 3:37 PM on September 8, 2021
I know 100 gecs signed gupi (Tony Hawk's son) and Fraxiom, to their label, and SOPHIE sampled gupi and Fraxiom's Thos Moser in her HEAV3N SUSPENDED mix @ 14:13 so it's cool to see collaboration in these groups.
posted by JauntyFedora at 3:37 PM on September 8, 2021
100gecs is everything that can make me feel how old I am relative to what's current in music, but I kind of love them anyway. Aside from just plain enjoying the music, I think it's because 100gecs isn't throwback to anything, and they don't leave me with a feeling they're doing some genre of the 80s or 90s wrong, unlike thousands of other bands of contemporary twentysomethings.
posted by ardgedee at 6:14 PM on September 8, 2021
posted by ardgedee at 6:14 PM on September 8, 2021
I was able to turn my wife on to "Money Machine" by having her listen to their episode of Song Exploder first. I think normally she would just be offended by the whole thing, but hearing the story of how and why they made it helped it catch on.
posted by anhedonic at 6:17 PM on September 8, 2021
posted by anhedonic at 6:17 PM on September 8, 2021
Sweet Jesus how did I miss this band? As someone who bought -two- Bis albums in the 90’s this is very much my jam.
posted by q*ben at 8:53 PM on September 8, 2021
posted by q*ben at 8:53 PM on September 8, 2021
I really want to like this, the idea appeals to me - but it just doesn't sit right with me. A bit like cigars, in that regard.
Instead, I'll throw in a recommendation for my favourite non-classifiable band, Igorrr. (previously) People who like 100 gecs may like them too. For example, "Unpleasant Sonata" from the album "Nostril".
posted by illongruci at 3:55 AM on September 9, 2021
Instead, I'll throw in a recommendation for my favourite non-classifiable band, Igorrr. (previously) People who like 100 gecs may like them too. For example, "Unpleasant Sonata" from the album "Nostril".
posted by illongruci at 3:55 AM on September 9, 2021
I just listened to the tracks in the “previously” link and I sure do feel old.
Possibly I now know how my mother felt when I was regularly listening to Skinny Puppy, too. I can appreciate what they’re doing on an intellectual basis, I could even see myself getting into them if I decided to put in a little effort because half my circles were into them, but I’m just not in the phase of life where plucking meaning out of sounds overdriven to the point of incomprehension is a thing I wanna do with my ears any more.
Good luck to Laura going through her transition in this very public manner, though. Man that’s gotta be scary, trying to get your voice to the place where you can sing in a femme register with so many people waiting for your second album.
posted by egypturnash at 6:33 AM on September 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
Possibly I now know how my mother felt when I was regularly listening to Skinny Puppy, too. I can appreciate what they’re doing on an intellectual basis, I could even see myself getting into them if I decided to put in a little effort because half my circles were into them, but I’m just not in the phase of life where plucking meaning out of sounds overdriven to the point of incomprehension is a thing I wanna do with my ears any more.
Good luck to Laura going through her transition in this very public manner, though. Man that’s gotta be scary, trying to get your voice to the place where you can sing in a femme register with so many people waiting for your second album.
posted by egypturnash at 6:33 AM on September 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
I’m just not in the phase of life where plucking meaning out of sounds overdriven to the point of incomprehension is a thing I wanna do with my ears any more.
As an old person, I heartily but creakily agree with this sentiment. I think the gecs are great, I've got Laura's Haunted on repeat constantly, but the genre itself is really polarizing to me in ways I wouldn't have expected. I think the comparison with Skinny Puppy is apt. I was listening to Too Dark Park the other day during some sort of nostalgic crisis that had me buying Doom and Quake for my Switch, and it just wasn't working for me. Too challenging, not dancy enough, not comfortable enough, even though I must have listened to it five million times. And similarly there are lines of taste in hyperpop I can't seem to identify, I just know when I've crossed them and I feel like I'm in alien territory--the above-mentioned Fraxiom, for instance, or even SOPHIE, who I respected as an artist but most of whose solo work left me cold. So my excitement over this upcoming album is tinged with fear--what if I don't like it? What if something goes horribly wrong?
posted by mittens at 6:54 AM on September 9, 2021
As an old person, I heartily but creakily agree with this sentiment. I think the gecs are great, I've got Laura's Haunted on repeat constantly, but the genre itself is really polarizing to me in ways I wouldn't have expected. I think the comparison with Skinny Puppy is apt. I was listening to Too Dark Park the other day during some sort of nostalgic crisis that had me buying Doom and Quake for my Switch, and it just wasn't working for me. Too challenging, not dancy enough, not comfortable enough, even though I must have listened to it five million times. And similarly there are lines of taste in hyperpop I can't seem to identify, I just know when I've crossed them and I feel like I'm in alien territory--the above-mentioned Fraxiom, for instance, or even SOPHIE, who I respected as an artist but most of whose solo work left me cold. So my excitement over this upcoming album is tinged with fear--what if I don't like it? What if something goes horribly wrong?
posted by mittens at 6:54 AM on September 9, 2021
Atari Teenage Riot + Sleigh Bells + Snapchat = 100 gecs. I’m kind of fascinated with them because they seem to summarize a moment in social media filled with weird fan culture and micro celebrities. I have many thoughts but also I’m in my 50’s and very jaded and the kids need to get off my lawn.
posted by misterpatrick at 9:01 AM on September 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by misterpatrick at 9:01 AM on September 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by mittens at 9:05 AM on September 8, 2021