Pomegranate Seeds: 10/10
Electronic-pop artist Poppy has released her fifth studio album, Zig. Poppy has explored many different genres on her past albums from bubblegum pop to hard metal, so I was interested in hearing what sound Zig would have. Here are my thoughts on Poppy’s newest album.
The album begins with “Church Outfit” which immediately hits you with an intense beat and drums. This song has clear electronic inspirations and is very Poppy. The beat and rhythm are good; the bridge is fantastic and the chorus itself is fun and full of energy. “Church Outfit” is very fun and has great instrumentation and production and is one of the best tracks on the album. Track two is “Knockoff” which also has strong electronic vibes but isn’t similar to “Church Outfit”. The instrumentation is fun and the song has great synths. The lyrics are good throughout the entire song, the instrumentation is cool and loud, and the production is very good. Every part of the song from the bridge to the chorus to the beat is fantastic and makes “Knockoff” one of the best tracks on the album.
On the next track, “Hard”, Poppy goes with a more metal sound, which, if you’re familiar with Poppy, she does very well. The instrumentation is tough and hard-rock, but Poppy’s voice is soft and sweet which provides an interesting contrast to the song. The production and lyrics are good and the instrumentation changes over the course of the song which prevents it from feeling repetitive. The song has a lot of energy and when Poppy leans into the metal side of the song it sounds fantastic.
“What It Becomes” is one of the best tracks on the album. The intro’s instrumentation starts slower and introduces an instrument not yet on the album (violin) but quickly builds up into strong electronic vibes. The lyrics are well-written and interesting and along with Poppy’s singing stand out against the dramatic instrumentation. The instrumentation is perfect as it doesn’t overpower Poppy but is still very dramatic and intense. The sound of the entire song is intense and pulls you in with great lyrics, instrumentation, and production.
Track six, “Flicker,” is full of energy. The instrumentation is strong and loud and the song has a good rhythm. The bridge is a lot of fun and the entire song flows very nicely. “1s + 0s” is strongly rock and the instrumentation is what stands out the most. The chorus is energetic and Poppy sounds great throughout the entire track. Track eight, “Zig”, is much more metal-inspired and it sounds awesome. The instrumentation is a fun mix of rock and electronic and grows very intense as the song progresses. The lyrics are perfect for this song. The chorus is great and this is when the song reaches the peak of its energy. Poppy sounds great and her sweet singing paired with the intense rock sounds amazing. “Zig” is one of the best tracks on the album.
“Linger” starts slower and the bare instrumentation allows for the lyrics and vocals to shine. The song has a good rhythm and well-written lyrics. The instrumentation becomes more dramatic throughout the song and picks up a good level of energy. The chorus is the best part of the song and has the best instrumentation and lyrics. “The Attic” has quick, sharp instrumentation and is great when paired with Poppy’s soft singing. The entire song is dynamic and the instrumentation, beat, and Poppy’s vocals all come together to create a fun, energetic song.
Track 10, “Motorbike”, starts with an interesting intro that catches your attention. “Motorbike” is the most pop-like song on the album. The chorus is the best part of the song and is simply fantastic. The energy is perfect and the rhythm and beat are fast and fun. With great energy, fun lyrics, entertaining instrumentation, and one of the best choruses on the album, “Motorbike” is one of the best tracks on the album. “Prove It” leans into the rock vibes of the album and has good, intense instrumentation. The lyrics are interesting and stand out along with the instrumentation and production. The chorus slows down and is more pop-ish which sounds very cool amongst the rock energy of the rest of the song. This was a great ending to the album as it contained the cohesive energy and production felt throughout every song.
Poppy’s Zig shows off the artist’s best qualities. This album earns 10/10 pomegranate seeds thanks to interesting lyrics, incredible instrumentation, great energy, and good production. Every song was fun to listen to and each mixed together a lot of different genres to create a unique sound that is purely Poppy. Zig is cohesive without letting any part of it sound repetitive. Any Poppy fans, rock fans, or pop fans should listen to Zig.
