Oh what a difference even just a few years can make for some artists. After their powerful debut, the young powerhouse duo of Let’s Eat Grandma have returned with an album that takes pop and redefines what it can truly be. Though they can often get a little overindulgent at times on this record, Let’s Eat Grandma rarely miss the mark on this record.

Through its harsh mix of dark electronics and menacing strings used in unusual ways, “Whitewater” starts the album on a furious and pointed note. The waves of distortion smack in like nature itself to create a natural tension that turns the song into a cinematic and score-like piece commanding attention. Coming off their previous record, “Hot Pink” burns with a new lyrical maturity and sense of disdain towards bad lovers. The experimental breakdowns through the song not only reflective the two artists anger, but also their ambitious new spirit.

With a bright electronica filled with hope, “It’s Not Just Me” beats out fast as the lyrics tell a story of someone accepting their past. Though it’s a dense song full of lush sounds and intricate tones, the overall writing is all too familiar to really standout. “Falling Into Me” however reinterprets handfuls of classic pop ideas through the group’s sound, and makes something frantic and immediate out of it. As its heavy, distorted waves become louder and louder, it even evolves to become an intoxicating dance-focused track in its final moments.

Let’s Eat Grandma step away from their synths the most on “Snake & Ladder” for something emotionally rich and more vocally focused. Along with the unusual mix, the song constantly shifts energies, layers of guitars & synths, and even the overall progressions to show the evolution of the song’s emotion for a true gem of the record. Though it seems overly dramatic at first, “Missed Call (1)” is not just a great interlude but a hilarious orchestral interpretation of a ringtone upon repeated listens. “I’ll Be Waiting” has such an intensity to the emotion of its vocals that it pulls you in from the start. Each section comes in with a palpable weight, making bass and even shuffling beats feel more important and invigorating as the song opens up.

Despite how adorable the purring and natural cat noises are on “The Cat’s Pyjamas” it just doesn’t feel quite as thematic as it does like a novelty, and rather breaks up the record because of it. “Cool & Collected” beats out with its sparse riffing and direct lyricism to focus the song directly at listeners. Its patient crawl into deeper emotional depths is a wondrous and inspiring journey although not one that will be concise enough for everyone. Though it really hits some satisfying but frankly unexpected highs in its last quarter, it holds listeners with its impactful emotional content.

Though Let’s Eat Grandma lean right into the world of piano pop ballads on “Ava” the earnest words and darkness of the song give it weight. Catchy to be certain, it’s so heartbreaking that you’ll likely be too caught up in the lyricism to even notice at first. Where so many bands fail to make proper use of extended tracks, “Donnie Darko” sees Let’s Eat Grandma showing the full extent of their sound while crafting a fully-fleshed out sonic journey. After moving from jamming to frantic electronic dance sections, the duo’s off-kilter vocals take the song out with a playful but angry momentum.

Words by Owen Maxwell