100 gecs - 1000 gecs

Wha....what t-t-t-thhhhheeee...Wha? Fuck did I just listen to...what even is music anymore? Is my existence subjective?

Yeah, I was scared to listen to this heading in. I was prepared to feel love, hate, and everything else in between heading into this project, in part because that's exactly how I felt about 10K gecs (I gave it a 60). But what separates this album from their latest is simply because the lows on this album are much more tolerable here than on 10K gecs. Let's talk about it. Or not, you can choose to keep your sanity.

As an avid music enthusiast, I often find myself seeking out new and different, challenging conventional norms. When I stumbled upon 1000 gecs, the debut album by Dylan Brady and Laura Les (stylized as 100 gecs), I knew I was in for an intriguing experience. Released in 2019, this record defies categorization, blending various genres with an unabashed disregard for traditional boundaries. After listening to it numerous times, I can confidently say that 1000 gecs is a thrilling journey into the sonic unknown, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.

Even from the first track, "745 sticky", I am blasted through the speakers, as it becomes evident that 1000 gecs is unlike anything I've heard before. The album's frenetic pace, with its manic beats and chaotic vocals, grabs your attention and refuses to let go until the final seconds of "gec 2 Ü." I tend find the sheer intensity overwhelming, it is this very quality that makes the album so difficult to judge.

Throughout the record, Brady and Les weave together a diverse assortment of musical styles, from hyperpop and industrial to punk and electronica. The eclecticism on display is simultaneously stupid and bewildering, providing me with a constant shifting emotions as the sounds shift as well, some positive some negative. One moment, you might be immersed in a high-octane EDM-infused banger like "hand crushed by a mallet," and the next, you find yourself bobbing along to the playful, deconstructed pop melodies of "money machine."

At its core, 1000 gecs is a celebration of experimentation and spontaneity. It embraces the freedom to create without constraints and fully embraces the chaos that ensues. While this unbridled approach to music-making might not resonate with me in this instance, it's undoubtedly a breath of fresh air for me, someone yearning for something entirely new.

One of the album's most striking aspects is its ability to be both playful and introspective. Amidst the digital noise and glitchy effects, there are moments of vulnerability that emerge through the lyrics. Tracks like "stupid horse" and "ringtone" explore themes of personal struggles and relationships, providing a human touch amidst the otherworldly chaos. Tracks like those do tend to lose consistentsy throughout, I don't mind that too much because of the artistics style that it brings.

I can understand why many adore this, but there are things that prevent me from worshiping this project. For one, lack of cohesion and the album's relentless pace may prove to be unorganized chaos in a way, Which is fine, but in this case it feels a bit reckless. Also, its refusal to adhere to any particular genre is refreshing, it can also lead to a sense of disorientation that leaves me feeling disconnected from the experience. Additionally, some of the tracks can get very easily annoying on a bad day for me.

In gotta say, 1000 gecs is a daring and boundary-pushing album that deserves admiration for its audacity and ambition. Brady and Les have crafted a record that defies categorization and challenges listeners to embrace chaos as a means of artistic expression. While it does have its fair share of flaws, I am open to sonic exploration, and crave musical unpredictability that will undoubtedly find something to like in this album here and there. 1000 gecs is a testament to the boundless potential of music as an art form and serves as a reminder that pushing the limits can lead to remarkable and unique creations, and hopefully will be a pathway to something bigger and better.

I think I need a nap now