Zig＜限定盤/Cloudy Transparent Blood Red + Milky Clear Vinyl＞

新世代のポップ・アイコンPoppyによるニューアルバムのカラーLP

Ali Payamiプロデュース。Aliと彼女の長年の共同制作パートナーであるSimon Wilcoxと共にレコーディング
Poppyはアルバム収録曲でギターやベースを演奏している
Cloudy: Trans. Blood Red + Milky Clear

With each subsequent release, genre-defying game changer Poppy continues to chip away at the artfully crafted facade from her early years, revealing more of herself in the process. The progression has been steady, first seizing her Grammy-nominated metal self on 2020s caustic I Disagree and then humanizing that new sonic direction with 2021s Flux. Her fifth album, Zig, is the ideal middle ground between its two predecessors, balancing aggressive shades of various genres -- industrial, electronic, pop -- with some of her most vulnerable and honest lyrics to date. Its no surprise that this is yet another exciting listen, at once familiar and yet still thrilling. Inspired by 90s industrial and pop chameleons like Blondie, Bowie, and Gary Numan, Zig showcases Poppys ability to craft a solid track that doesnt rely on shock value, like on the unexpected goth waltz of "What It Becomes" and "Linger," which transforms from a bittersweet acoustic ditty into a swirling trip-hop beauty. Indeed, compared to some of her more hair-raising material, Zig is relatively subdued and more relatable in a way that her past work may not have been. As she coos on "Knockoff," "I dont want no knockoff/Want that real shit, real authentic." The edgier selections on the album are the most immediate and pulse-pounding, with the throbbing electro-industrial "Church Outfit" and the chaotic, riff-packed title track earworm standing above the pack. "Flicker" rides a droning synth melody before crumbling into a Bjork-worthy electro programming, while "The Attic" comes close to pure pop before dropping a euphoric rush of drumnbass into the mix. The sleek and sexy "Motorbike" is one of Poppys fiercest and catchiest club bangers to date, while the hyper hardstyle pummel of "Prove It" smashes her point home with "Ive got no one to prove myself to but me…I am the blood and the guts and Im red with rage." With this LP, she lays the viscera on the table, opening herself up like never before and showcasing her most human moments yet. Zig ends up being her most focused and mature work to date, one that finds her spreading her wings and expanding her arsenal yet again. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

メタルからオルタナを経て、ふたたびポップ・エレクトロに回帰した5作目。テイラー・スウィフトやアリアナ・グランデとの仕事で知られるアリ・パヤミが共作/プロデュースで全面協力。デュア・リパらを手掛けるイアン・カークパトリックも参加。インダストリアル系ギターとノイズがちりばめられたダーク・ポップを展開するが、これまで以上に人間らしい(?)肉声が聴こえる瞬間も。
bounce (C)村上ひさし