Underscores: U review – ultra-imaginative auteur has pop’s most brilliant brain

On her latest album, "U," Underscores (April Grey) demonstrates complete creative autonomy, handling all aspects of performance, writing, and production herself. For this release, she consciously scales back her signature hyperpop electronics, instead embracing a sound deeply rooted in 90s pop-R&B. The result is a collection of tracks so masterfully crafted they could easily become hits for major artists.

April Grey, a US-based bedroom producer, has earned the admiration of a diverse roster of artists, including experimental pop duo 100 Gecs, rapper Danny Brown, and Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. Despite this impressive backing, her musical identity has historically been difficult to define. Pinpointing the exact sound of her 2021 debut album as Underscores, Fishmonger, or its ambitious follow-up, Wallsocket (a concept album revolving around three young women in a fictional Michigan town), proved challenging due to their sheer sonic complexity. If one were to attempt a succinct description, her previous work could be categorized as a vibrant blend of hyperpop and emo pop-punk – a sonic cocktail that, at times, risked being overly rich for its own good.

While Underscores' most potent work consistently delivered an undeniably energetic pop thrill, Wallsocket stood out for its maximalist approach. It immersed listeners in a whirlwind of distorted guitars, fragmented vocal samples, aggressive brostep basslines, blaring rave synthesizers, nu-metal influences, expansive shoegaze textures, realistic gunshot sound effects, retro video-game bleeps, drums oscillating between dancefloor rhythms and the double-time intensity of hardcore punk, and vocals ranging from a defiant drawl to a raw, heavily distorted scream. This abundance, while undeniably distinctive, frequently prompted the listener to ponder whether a more streamlined approach, embracing the adage of "less is more," might have ultimately enhanced the music's impact.