Poppy - Negative Spaces

The chameleonic Poppy has never had a natural form – but her brief previous forays into industrial rock and metal have teased a style that begs to be explored further. Light years apart from 2017’s synth-pop record ‘Poppy.Computer’ but closer to 2020’s gnarly ‘I Disagree’, ‘Negative Spaces’ sees her embrace the heaviness with open arms. With the helping hand of House Of Protection’s Stephen Harrison and former Bring Me The Horizon member turned super-producer Jordan Fish, ‘Negative Spaces’ ebbs and flows between radio rock, ruthless metal and a sprinkling of bubblegum pop. Moreover, none of it feels disjointed, equilibrated by some soothing transition numbers (‘yesterday’, ‘hey there’) and Jordan’s consistent production. Opener ‘have you had enough?’ is a stadium-sized welcome, while the breathless ‘they’re all around us’ and ‘the center’s falling out’ sees the singer’s ear-piercing screams leap into another dimension. ‘nothing’ carries light shades of cyberpunk in the verse, while the one-two of the throbbing ‘crystallized’ and the hook-laden ‘vital’ reaffirm her pure pop prestige. Her sixth album is a masterpiece, showcasing her ability to meld reliable sound palettes with some audacious new tricks.