The Land of 10,000 Gecs…
The duo who forced the industry to coin the term “hyperpop” has finally returned after four years and a jillion questions. Now, their sophomore album proves they’re more than just a 100-1,000 trick pony.
10,000 gecs
100 gecs
Alternative Rock / Hyperpop
In 2019, Dylan Brady and Laura Les joined forces to create one of the most thoroughly unique duos of this century: 100 gecs. The two had absolutely no interest in taking the project—or themselves—seriously, and they set out to combine all of the cheesiest, lamest, loudest, most annoying trends in modern popular music into something undeniably playful and artistic to perfectly capture the existential unease of our time.
Their debut album, 1000 gecs, became one of the most talked-about releases in the history of the internet, and Spotify deigned that their sound was so mind-blowingly interesting that it was its own genre, hyperpop. But while the sound that Dylan and Laura tapped into may have predated their first album, the massive wave of perpetually online listeners it garnered was unlike anything streaming services had seen.
Fortunately for all of us, 100 gecs didn’t just lazily create an exact replica of their first album to ride the hype train to fame and fortune. Instead, they waited until no one remembered what hyperpop even was anymore, lying in wait before releasing an elevated, even more hyperactive follow-up.
“Dumbest Girl Alive” is the perfect opening statement for this new hybrid of alt-rock and hyper pop, starting with a distorted rendition of the THX sound effect before hard cutting to a thrash metal riff that splits the air like a lightning bolt. The vocals are then, appropriately, ultra-autotuned to the point of absurdity, as Dylan sings how he “walks around like Frankenstein / I did science on my face,” and asks to “put emojis on my grave,” over a subwoofer-rattling beat.
Trying to be tongue-in-cheek, the duo create a legitimate punk rock anthem with “Hollywood Baby.” Its over-the-top critique of children from generational wealth is matched by an equally furious pop-punk instrumental arrangement. “So go and pitch your fit / No one gives a shit” the duo sing over the bridge, a sentiment that mirrors that of Dylan and Laura’s take on how listeners and genre purists view their music. This is seriously a contender of song of the year.
“Doritos & Fritos” chanted group vocals, pronounced basslines, punchy drums, and random spurts of noise lie over a distorted guitar ringing out in an utterly neurotic pattern. The effect is more zany and, frankly, harrowing than pop of any sub-genre should be allowed to contain. While “Billy Knows Jamie” pokes fun at rap-rock with such devastating efficiency—stupidly macho vocals and jumped-up riffs—that it ends up becoming one of the best examples of how to do nu-metal well.
The ska influences are not subtle on “I Got My Tooth Removed,” where Dylan and Laura expertly weave what is clearly a break-up narrative into an uncontrollably fun song about a horrifying dental extraction. The intro is as heartbroken as any well-regarded 2000s emo band, but with the mocking insincerity of a bad, high school emo band. Then the song suddenly breaks into full-on skank mode, complete with trumpets and oompah guitar and bass. A subject this disgusting shouldn’t be this totally grin-inducing.
Closer “mememe,” is as typical a gecs song as possible…if that even is possible. Glitchy, overamped samples and synths jitter across the intro and chorus, while massive walls of distorted guitars blast huge riffs over the entire landscape. The duo’s lyrics are simple and direct: despite being totally open about who they are and what their philosophy is, no one seems to listen, or even cares to pay attention to what they’re saying.
10,000 gecs has proved that 100 gecs are no flash in the pan. Their patented corny ridiculousness mixed with solid songwriting and inventive production solidifies the duo as perhaps the most respected artists in their field… whatever field it is that writes glitch-pop songs about becoming friends with a frog and eating a burrito with Danny DeVito.
