<p><span><span>- Combining the bizarre bubblegum pop, trap, dubstep, metal, and electronica of last year’s debut, with an expanded universe of collaborators, the new record by American experimental duo 100 gecs<em> </em>is as thrilling as their last. Initially formed in 2016 for a relatively straightforward EP, 100 gecs’ <strong>Dylan Brady</strong> and <strong>Laura Les</strong> came to public attention with their debut, <em>1000 gecs</em>, a record that went viral on the internet for its distinctively millennial sound. Now they’re back with friends in <em>1000 gecs and The Tree of Clues</em>. Clocking in at fifty-two minutes with double the number of tracks on their debut, it's one of the most ambitious remix projects I’ve heard in years.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>From the opening of <strong>A.G. Cook</strong>’s <em>Money Machine</em> remix, which melts together shimmering synths, distorted vocals, and a shrieking, industrial inspired outro - you know it’s going to be an incredibly cooked listen; and for all of this weird, enthusiastic experimentation, you also know that they’re having fun. From the lyrics of <em>Money Machine</em> alone: “<em>Your arms look so fucking cute, they look like little cigarettes / I bet I could smoke you, I could roast you and then you’d text me “I love you”, and then I’d fucking ghost you</em>”, yes, it’s to be enjoyed.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Along with Cook of PC Music, Brady and Les are joined by an array of collaborators including <strong>Hannah Diamond</strong>, <strong>Injury Reserve</strong>, <strong>Umru</strong>, <strong>Black Dresses</strong>, <strong>Charli XCX</strong>, <strong>Kero Kero Bonito</strong>, and <strong>Rico Nasty</strong>. Even admittedly lame 2000’s pop-punk staples <strong>Fall Out Boy</strong> make an appearance: on their remix of <em>Hand Crushed by a Mallet</em>, gecs and Fall Out Boy transform a guitar led, bubblegum pop song into an explosion of distorted metal, emo and nightcore.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Other tracks in the record resist any instrumentation, just featuring incredibly bizarre samples. Umru’s remix of <em>Ringtone</em> is built around high-pitched vocals and bass competing within the mix. It’s made even better when several actual ringtones are sampled. The now defunct industrial pop outfit Black Dresses contribute a remix of <em>745 sticky</em>, which is yet another howling, screamo remix of the original.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Really, this vicious experimentalism should be detrimental to the record, yet somehow it helps to piece it all together. All the weirdness seems fitting for a band that, until recently, only existed on the internet, playing virtual concerts in Minecraft (and that was before Coronavirus, too). What are these digital oddities doing in the real world? Are excessively short attention spans to blame for a creation of songs that cannot stick to a single genre? I don't have the answers, but to be honest, when it sounds this good, I don’t care.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>- Sean Tayler.</span></span></p>
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