After releasing her debut mixtape, Slayyyter switches things up with her debut album... For better and for worse.
While the PC Music camp was doing their own things in terms of bubblegum bass and hyperpop, there are a few individuals that are making that electropop, hyperpop sound and dipping it under the glimmery 2000s pop outlook. Introducing Slayyyter, along with some artists like Ayesha Erotica and That Kid that are infusing hyperpop with 2000s sheen. But Slayyyter was the first one that blew up quite a bit with her mixtape, owing to the sound and aesthetic quite a lot to the early 2000s with a huge Britney Spears influence. While I think the album feels sloppy with the mixing and the influence being a bit thin, It’s still a decent enough project for Slayyyter. And with her debut album out now, I was curious about how she will proceed with that mixtape.
While this debut album shows more of Slayyyter when it comes to finding her sound, I felt that it doesn’t go all the way there despite some really good strong songs here.
So to put my main issue right away, most of these tracks felt too short, felt quite underdeveloped, or going for a sound that felt like she’s still carrying certain influences on her, which leads to a scattered and deflated albeit diverse sound. ‘Self Destruct’ felt like it's trying to build up to more with its blaring production but just ends off pretty quickly, ‘Throatzillaaa’ has that Charli XCX flair a bit too much even if the production has some good switch-ups to it, ‘Villain’ has a haphazard breakdown that I’m not too crazy about, ‘Troubled Paradise’ has some of the percussion mixing a bit too loud, ‘Butterflies…’ and especially ‘Clouds’ have these house tinged production that felt a bit safe for her.
But despite that, I loved ‘Cowboys’ for its driving beat and a great hook to boot, ‘Over This’ with its driving guitar melodies and chorus, ‘Letters’ with a simple but soaring acoustic guitar ballad, ‘Serial Killer’ with its slow-burning rhythm, and ‘Venom’ and ‘Dog House’ due to their strong melodies, even if both songs have these deflated production choices and the latter sounding a bit faint with the mixing.
The lyrics themselves are fine, but I feel like it can feel one-dimensional at spots, especially with the first half being your usual brashy details of sex and femme dom that is also in her mixtape. But this album feels more introspective and personal, where she reflects upon the guy that she loves even if her partner trashes their romance as well as her depression amidst her success, build up her strength as she tries to get over the guy, but by the end, she still loves him regardless where she still cares for him and still does love her.
But you know what, even if some production and lyrical detail don’t always work, it’s still a good enough debut from Slayyyter. It’s scattered and oddly deflated, but the second half has strong cuts to keep this from being mediocre.
Favorite Tracks: Cowboys, Letters, Over This!, Serial Killer
Least Favorite Track: Clouds