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MUSIC POP’S PERFECT PAIRINGS

Future-forward vocalist-producer collaborations under the hyperpop umbrella deliver the sound and energy we need now. By Harry Dowden

SOPHIE + CECILE BELIEVE

“It’s Okay To Cry”: The refrain of SOPHIE’s eponymous anthem—sung with passion by

Montreal’s Cecile Believe—was the iconic electro-pop sound of the late producer.

Sophie Xeon died in January in a sudden accident, a devastating blow to fans. A bright spot in a dark time was seeing just how big SOPHIE’s mark on music was, from tactile early singles to the glimmering textures of the Oil Of Every Pearl’s UnInsides LP. Her uplifting of creators and her own visibly transfemme life opened up gates without compromising an ounce. Believe, who self-produced her own Made in Heaven, is a familiar voice on OOEPUI. She soars over the beautiful “Is It Cold In The Water?” as well as the sonically abrasive shredder “Faceshopping.” Deep Dive: The unreleased closing track of SOPHIE’s 2020 set at LA club night Heav3n, in which Believe sings: “Everybody’s got to own their body/ Everybody wants to be somebody.”

CHARLI XCX + A.G. COOK

A mutually beneficial arrangement: UK’s Charli XCX leverages her pop chart stardom for the creative freedom to team up with fellow Brit A.G. Cook. The producer and curator of the influential collective’s synthed-out, pitched-up sparklers were a few years into reconstructing pop in their own image, but the partnership drastically expanded the platform.

It was the Vroom Vroom EP with the aforementioned SOPHIE that got Charli warmed up with the sound, but that was just the start. The now seminal Pop 2 mixtape is where Cook’s executive producer aspirations crystallized and Charli’s songwriting style and ear for guests truly locked into place. Two more projects, Charli and How I’m Feeling Now, feature Cook at the maximalist production helm and Charli honing her chops.

The technological interplay between singer and producer is stronger than ever, and the pair’s shared vision is poised to keep shaping pop for years to come.

Iconic Tracks: The blissful joyride of “Unlock It” and the twinkling spark of “Detonate”

100 GECS

The dynamic duo of Laura Les and Dylan Brady blew up fast and loud. A listen will make it quickly apparent that’s how their act, 100 Gecs, likes it. Haters will deride a perceived lack of seriousness without acknowledging that the Gecs are musically committed to many things: Hooks. Drums. More hooks. Sharing vocal and production duties, Brady is currently one of the most indemand beatmakers around, while Les’ solo single “Haunted” indicates some gothy work on the way. 1000 Gecs left a crater in the self-serious pop landscape, the Tree of Clues LP had some great collabs, and this fall’s “10,000 Gecs” tour is a harbinger of doom for speakers across the nation. Live Futures: Minecraft (yes, the video game) became a venue of choice for pandemic-era music fests. One Gecs very online set features early versions of fan favorites “Came To My Show” and “Toothless.”

TAKING THE SCENIC ROUTE

Once you’ve delved into the high-energy acts profiled above (or if they’re simply not your vibe), come down with this playlist of recent tracks. Tailor-made for admiring the natural world, whether it’s on a chill road trip with friends or simply a long sit on the porch, sometimes music and fresh air are all you need.

The War On Drugs - “Living Proof”

The rambling rock project resurfaces with a roadtrip-ready rumination.

Weyes Blood - “Titanic Rising”

Melancholic underwater sunlight from the nouveau auteur.

SPELLLING - “Turning Wheel”

Ambitiously euphoric, lushly collaborative baroque-psych from the Bay Area.

Connan Mockasin & Ade - “The Wolf”

NZ troubadour makes a wholesome yet dense chillout album with his dad.

Caroline Polachek - “Bunny Is a Rider”

A slinky, taut single featuring signature vocal acrobatics in a summer song package.

Clairo - “Blouse”

A soft-spoken, layered return from one of indie-pop’s biggest tearjerkers.

Japanese Breakfast - “Posing for Cars”

Cathartic closer to the excellent and versatile Jubilee.

The Microphones - “Microphones in 2020”

Phil Elverum will be touring this 44-minute transcendental opus song/album. It flies by in a lifetime.

KERO KERO BONITO

The UK trio of vocalist Sarah Midori Perry and multi-instrumentalists Gus Lobban and Jamie Bulled have been a veritable powerhouse of candy-coated bops since 2013’s Intro Bonito mixtape and breakout hit “Flamingo.” Unlike the exclusively shrimp-eating bird, however, KKB have been omnivorous with their influences.

Originally leaning into kawaii culture influences and playful Casio synth sounds, the band has since detoured through various intersections, applying their own quirky stamp. Bonito Generation served as a “Graduation” from their early sound, with LP No. 2 Time ‘n’ Place and the Civilization EP series delivering more serious lyrics and tones.

But KKB haven’t lost their smirks: A digital set for A.G. Cook’s Appleville fest (in promotion of his own debut album Apple) saw the trio do some light trolling. The studio-quality sound of “Only Acting” cuts out, revealing each member in their tinny quarantine rooms. It’s all an act, anyway, but does it matter when it sounds so fun?

Theme Songs:

“It’s Bugsnax!” was a surprise drop last summer, a commissioned song for a Playstation game that fits right into the group’s quirky aesthetic.

Japanese Breakfast