Liverpool’s new hopeful Pizzagirl is set to release his sophomore album ‘softcore mourn’ this summer.
Perpetually ensconced in the fault-lines between effervescent humanity and binary technology, pitting maximalist-pop sounds against claustrophobic production, Pizzagirl (AKA Liverpool native Liam Brown) delves deeper into the emotional hard-drive on his latest project.
The first taste of the new record was the release of fuzzy electronic anthem ‘car freshener aftershave’.
Reminiscent both sonically and thematically of The Postal Service and LCD Soundsystem in their recourse to a post-2000 release of aching pressure, ‘car freshener aftershave’ is an apt opening move.
Fizzing synths, dial-tone keys and percussive clinks provide the base for Pizzagirl’s warped vocals to deliver cutting lyrics.
Layers of instrumentation are continuously added through the track, echoing a sense of snowballing resignation, hurtling towards a reconciliatory breaking point.
Taking inspiration from within, it can be seen as a call back to the start – 2018’s introductory ‘An Extended Player’ EP fused 1-900-hotline-rock and ambient infomercial electronica into perfect pop pigtails, and ‘car freshener aftershave’ borrows some of this sonic palette. But gone is the postmodern absurdism and vapor-wave escapism, the sentiment now is as real and grounded as a 90s dial-up squall.
In his own words, Pizzagirl re-introduces himself: “Over the last year or so I’ve been screaming, sighing, crying and lying at my computer, which has manifested itself into my aptly titled second album “softcore mourn”.
“This first single “car freshener aftershave” is a cold reminder to the internet that I still exist and I still haven’t figured that out yet. I’d say this is a break-up song.”
Featured press photo by Kate Davies