100 Gecs is an emo-rap/bubblegum bass duo formed by Laura Les and Dylan Brady, and although they are branded as “experimental pop,” they draw from an endless supply of genres to create a very cohesive sound. Although they met in St. Louis, they are based in different cities and now collaborate exclusively by sending Logic Pro files back and forth. This type of collaborative style gives their music an intentionally abrasive flare that is definitely apparent.
I should preface this by saying that 1000 Gecs, 100 Gecs’ debut album which was released in May, is my current album of the year, so my opinion is definitely driven by bias. However, it is worth mentioning that 100 Gecs’ newest album is possibly one of the most notable bubblegum bass releases in America other than Sophie’s Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides. Bubblegum bass is a genre of music which originated in the 2010s and is characterized by a “post-internet aesthetic” with upwards pitched vocals and a frenzied, warped rhythm. Ever since its dawn, bubblegum bass has been a heavily British genre, drawing heavily from bubblegum dance and U.K. bass music, both very European genres. 100 Gecs’ foray into bubblegum bass is done by combining two very American musical stylings: scene music and emo-rap.
Les, who always produces under the moniker “Osno1,” has a discography dating back to 2016 full of emo-pop, emo-rap, and, yes, bubblegum bass. Her first bubblegum bass project, I Just Don’t Wanna Name It Anything With “Beach” in the Title, is a short EP where many proto-Gecs characteristics can be found in their first iterations. Bubblegum bass and noise breakdowns are prominent in this EP and are some of the key components of 1000 Gecs. Brady, the other half of 100 Gecs, contributes a good deal of production to the album and delivers more reformed emo-rap than he does on their debut self-titled EP from 2016.
Brady’s personal catalog is mostly emo-rap and alternative R&B, his most famous solo work being the emo-rap/alternative R&B album Choker from 2016.
With all of this being said, 1000 Gecs is an unbelievably fun album. It radiates pure chaotic, joyful, infectious energy. Breakdowns like the ones on “money machine” and “745 sticky” have a very Sophie-esc flare to them, immediately followed by a hardcore breakdown on “800db cloud” which is followed by the most chaotic track on the album I Need Help Immediately, which is a collection of edited samples and synth patches that have no real meter. This was one of the only albums I’ve listened to in a while where I genuinely enjoyed the process of the album in addition to the content. “Stupid Horse,” track five, was one of my favorites on the album with full-on scene vocals and some inspiration from happy hardcore as well. “xXXi_wud_nvrstøp_ÜXXx” is an atmospheric emo-trap song that does the best job out of all the songs of flawlessly combining emo-rap and bubblegum bass. The last four songs are the real reason why I love the album so much. The fourth-to-last, “ringtone,” is such a carefree song, but each song after that gradually increases in intensity until the final breakdown on “gec 2 Ü.”
On September 10, it was announced that 100 Gecs would be joining Brockhampton on their release tour for Ginger, and I personally feel like the energy that 100 Gecs brings to the table is perfect for a Brockhampton opener. I also feel like this kind of exposure for 100 Gecs could finally help bring bubblegum bass to a more prominent position in the “American Pop-Music” psyche. Brockhampton has a young crowd, so implanting 100 Gecs when they’re still relatively fresh is the perfect time to do so.
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