Softcore Mourn

Perpetually ensconced in the fault-lines between effervescent humanity and binary technology, pitting maximalist-pop sounds against claustrophobic production, Pizzagirl (aka Liverpool native Liam Brown) delves deeper into the emotional hard-drive on his latest project, Softcore Mourn. Reminiscent both sonically and thematically of The Postal Service and LCD Soundsystem in their recourse to a post-Y2K release of aching pressure, "Car Freshener Aftershave" is an apt opening move. Fizzing synths, dial-tone keys and percussive clinks provide the base for Pizzagirl's warped vocals to deliver cutting lyrics. Layers of instrumentation are continuously added through the track, echoing a sense of snowballing resignation, hurtling towards a reconciliatory breaking point. Taking inspiration from within, it can be seen as a call back to the start - 2018's introductory An Extended Player EP fused 1-900-hotline-rock and ambient infomercial electronica into perfect pop pigtails, and "Car Freshener Aftershave" borrows some of this sonic palette. But gone is the postmodern absurdism and vapor-wave escapism, the sentiment now is as real and grounded as a 90s dial-up squall.