Album review: 10,000 gecs by 100 gecs

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100 gecs, a band created by Laura Les and Dylan Brady, have always had an ear for the weird. Back in 2019, they burst onto the scene with their genre-birthing album, 1000 gecs. It was a direct and brief debut, and in 23 minutes, the duo delivered an all-killer-no-filler audio shock, leaving listeners both confused and desperate for more. 

Hyperpop, the term that defines their one-of-a-kind blend of maximalist avant-garde, EDM, trap, pop, and hip-hop, became an overnight sensation. Four years later, the genre’s pioneers have returned with an equally brief, and possibly more mind-bending, journey through their absurdist musical dimension.  

Their new album 10,000 gecs doesn’t attempt to make lightning strike twice. 1000 gecs was a musical moment unlikely to be repeated, even by the duo themselves. That’s not to say the gecs spirit has been lost in any way. 

Les and Brady lean further into downright ridiculous lyrical territory while continuing to subvert expectations on the instrumental front. While the sounds remain explosive, they are less glitchy and instead incorporate ska punk and nu-metal, two of the most controversial subgenres of the 1990s. 

Curiously, the sounds feel right at home amongst the album’s whip-fast tempos and earworm hyperpop hooks, shining brighter than they ever have before. Just like 1000 gecs, 10,000 gecs is a smorgasbord of clashing, abrasive sounds that shouldn’t work together, yet utterly refuse not to. 

The chipmunked vocals of their debut are notably absent from this release, a testament to Les’ journey of self-acceptance after spending years suffering from vocal dysphoria. Les, a transgender woman, has openly discussed her discomfort with the masculine qualities of her voice and how it conflicts with her sense of self. 

In past work, she relied heavily on vocal processing to sound more feminine and better reflect her gender identity when recording music. Now, she bears her voice exactly as it is and sounds downright incredible doing it. 

The album’s tracklist is packed with unforgettable moments, ranging from eruptive electronic bangers to tongue-in-cheek punk tomfoolery. 

“Frog on the Floor,” the album’s most individually viral non-single, has Les and Brady singing about the misadventures of a partying frog over a cutesy ska-punk backing. 

Heavier moments like “Billy Knows Jamie,” a reference to Aerosmith’s “Janie’s Got a Gun,” dives fully into the rap-rock tradition of nu-metal with hulking hardcore beats, addictive record scratch rhythms, and guttural vocal deliveries. 

Even the moments most reminiscent of their debut such as “757,” “Mememe,” and “Dumbest Girl Alive,” feature 100 gecs sounding more revitalized, energetic, and invigorated than ever. 

To put it bluntly, Les and Brady have proven their lightning-in-a-bottle hyperpop stylings have undeniable staying power. That’s not to say this album is a perfect one, but the momentum of the overall project carries the listener through any brief moderate moments. 

Even if the wonky “The Most Wanted Person in The United States” pales in comparison to the anthemic “Hollywood Baby” or slap bass-backed “Doritos and Fritos,” its humorous lyricism still elicits a chuckle with lines like “Anthony Kiedis, suckin’ on my penis…” 

With 10,000 gecs, Les and Brady have succeeded in giving fans the most they could have asked for – a sophomore album that builds on the best qualities of its predecessor and pushes their sound into an even more absurd and exciting territory. 

Final score: 9/10

Favourite tracks: “Hollywood Baby,” “Dumbest Girl Alive,” “Billy Knows Jamie.”