poptropicaslutz! are the epitome of nostalgia on their debut album, "Face For The Radio"
“Face For The Radio” cover art.
poptropicaslutz! are single-handedly restoring hyper pop, and with such a distinctive name and sound, the attention they're getting is well-deserved. Christian Cicilia and Nick Crawford, a New York duo, are making a name for themselves on account of their unique takes on the emo-pop genre, which hasn't been revived in the same way since the early 2010's. Their debut studio album "Face For The Radio" is propelling them forward in the race to nostalgia and establishing them as a force to be reckoned with.
“Fallin’ Apart in Halftime" is a single that kicks off the album with a bang; the tangled chaos of the music, combined with the glitchiness of the lyrics, makes for an intriguing opening; one that makes it hard to pull away from. Lyrics “He fancies martinis and infidelity/ So she'll go out and dance-dance/'Cause shit just hit the fan, fan again” are focused on a woman ditching her scandal-filled relationship and escaping to the dance floor. One can not miss poptropicaslutz! subtle ode to Fall Out Boy’s “Dance, Dance” with covert Easter eggs hinting at their predecessor's chorus. The group often receives comparisons to Fall Out Boy, with extensive song titles and clever lyricism, the group could very well be on their way to a similar size of stardom.
Two of the album's lead singles follow, “Upside Down” and “What Would You Do To Get Ahead(line)? "Upside Down" is a self-aware track that focuses on the flaws of both partners in a relationship. The lyrics address the most contentious and thorny aspects of a relationship, ultimately concluding that moving on may be the best option, and has a crescendoing drum rhythm heading up to the last chorus, emphasizing the song's closing.
“Strawberry Sorbet” is a unique yet familiar sound for poptropicaslutz! It’s common for both Cicilia and Crawford to split the microphone in terms of singing, and that is shown on this song specifically where the duo have a close to even share of time on the mic. While it is one of their more tamely composed songs on the album, it has a hard hitting rock sound that carries the track.
The uniqueness lies in the fact that the song was written from both third and first person. On the one hand, explaining why it was necessary to lie to someone's face, and on the other, demonstrating the consequences of those lies. Lyrics, “I only lied to your face 'cause it's hard to be honest,” and “She's melting anyway like strawberry sorbet/ On a summer day/ Dripping into tie-dye stains that'll never go away”, testify to the duality of the conflict.
The opening lines of “A Flair For Conclusions, Yet She’ll Never Be Swan Queen” are their most impressive lyrics to date. All in one breath, Crawford quickly stammers out a story of the end, one where it all comes collapsing in one fatal conversation. The vivid imagery painted in the song truly gets the point across, and “slanderous speech bubbles” are effectively used to crash through the reality of a breakup. The album’s title “Face for The Radio” is placed within the opening line of the track, highlighting an underrated trait of the duo, which is intentionality.
Produced with the help of kodeblooded, poptropicaslutz! take control of the alternate genre on “Face for the Radio” from track 1 to 11. The display of their carefully crafted lyrics and meticulous production show they are cutting-edge for this genre and will not stop until they get the recognition that's been rightfully handed down to them.
