“Is my name safe in your mouth?“
There is so much to say about the enigmatic, industrial-metal-pop-star, Poppy, but the last adjective anyone could use for her is ‘predictable’, and Zig doubles down on that sentiment. Both I Disagree (2020) and the Eat (NXT Soundtrack) (2021) are among some of my favourite works ever, so I’ve been following up with Poppy for quite some time now. Unfortunately, she’s also released things that I’ve deemed to be lacklustre, such as Flux (2021) – especially compared to her previous works. While I don’t believe Poppy has yet to produce anything bad, she’s no stranger to being experimental, and at times inconsistent, so I had no doubts that I could at least expect something refreshing when consuming Zig for the first time. Upon my first listen, I was overwhelmed, but felt similarly to how I felt listening to Flux for the first time: unimpressed. However, with just another chance, my opinion was swayed almost entirely.
Going chronologically, lead single “Church Outfit” was also my first taste of Zig. I’m not typically a fan of openers or closers being released before the album in full, but in this case, I feel I can let it slide since the track works perfectly as a single. This song gives you a taste of everything on this record in its most digestible form; “Church Outfit” is bold, heavy on the bass, unsurprisingly electronic, and features the screams she’s been slowly introducing over the course of her discography. “Knockoff” felt like a natural follow-up, and only makes sense being slotted into the second spot on the tracklist. Its chorus is truly infectious, and the bridge extends this track to a more standard three minutes, unlike the preceding short single.
While I certainly love both songs, neither were able to catch my eye like the third preview of this project, “Motorbike”. We begin with a staggering spoken word voiced by Simon Wilcox, where she says, “I wonder why nothing catches my eye quite like the sight of a girl with a powerful machine between her legs.” These words are both thought-provoking and contrasting with the last two songs, implying various different ideas, and all of these innuendos are explored within this track’s lyrics. The first and most obvious of these concepts would have to lie in the tracks’ overarching sexual tone. While Poppy is no stranger to exploring a queer identity throughout her art – most notably on the conveniently titled album, Am I a Girl? – we’ve never explicitly gotten a gay track from her. That is unless we extend this hand to her most popular song, “Girls in Bikinis”, but I don’t see these two tracks in the same light. Not only does she traverse a queer relationship with this cut, but this appears a continuation of her questioning her gender identity and role as she seemingly takes on a more traditionally masculine persona. It’s easy to get lost in how catchy and dance-focused this song is, but I personally appreciate this continuation of feminist, queer, and gender-focused themes from Poppy.
“Hard” is the fourth and final single for this album, and I understand why; this track is unique in the context of Poppy’s catalogue. While she’s almost always dabbling with an electro-industrial style, this song cannot be diminished to just one genre. Blending a post-punk inspired, bass-led verse that feels ever so slightly off-tempo with such a spacious and euphoric chorus, “Hard” proves to be one of her most ambitious feats yet. Then, to break up the pattern with a fresh style of screaming in the bridge? This combined with the mixing of the verses – which was at first jarring – made it a difficult track to grasp on first listen. Unsurprisingly, with a few more chances – because this is Poppy we’re talking about – it reigns as my favourite single sonically, and sits easily within my top three picks on the whole project.
“Flicker” continues what “Motorbike” started by elaborating on the themes of self-assurance and female empowerment. Poppy uses different motor vehicles as a symbol for these subjects on both cuts. A humorous, but purposeful, connection on her part. Maintaining softer vocals in the more vulnerable hook of this song, “Flicker” remains atmospheric, disregarding its prominent beat that we continue to see throughout most of this record. On the other hand, the title track, “Zig”, marks a return to those crunchy, ominous guitar riffs that I’ve been missing since I Disagree. This cut feels mechanical, almost robotic, especially as it progresses to the final chorus where Poppy’s vocals steer a bit off-beat and become synthesized.
This leads into “Linger”, which may be my favourite on the album. When it comes to Poppy’s work, I tend to really love when she goes to the extremes. In the midst of this predominantly fast-paced, industrial-pop record, “Linger” sticks out as the only acoustic track, and I adore it for that reason. Her vocal performance here is outstanding, and the emotional density is beyond palpable. This track contains some of the loveliest vocal melodies and resolutions that Poppy has ever written, while also serving as the break I desperately needed after “Zig”.
As mentioned, this record really only clicked with me after my second or third listen. It felt like whiplash entering the world of Zig after her last EP, Stagger, and that’s without mentioning its extensive rollout. After giving this record a proper chance without any lingering expectations, I’ve come around to believe that Zig is one of Poppy’s most cohesive, sincere, and progressive projects yet, leaving little to no room for constructive criticism. Even the points on this record that I initially thought weak have for the most part won me over, so I feel more than satisfied with this album in full. I can only assume, knowing how unpredictable Poppy is, that her next endeavour could be a full on metalcore record, or something equally as outlandish, like country. Poppy will always be a mixed bag, which is what makes her one of the most astonishing and pioneering artists out there today.
8.5/10
Zig is available now via Sumerian Records, and you can purchase physical copies here.