ALBUM REVIEW: Melting Pop – FVZZ POPVLI
Italian psychedelic rockers, FVZZ POPVLI, are back with their latest record, Melting Pop. The album, not only aptly named, but reflects on the trio’s blend of genres from garage to 70s psychedelia and even heavy metal. It creates something that, on the one hand, can’t be explained, yet on the other it can be described as something otherworldly: something that feels familiar, yet it feels a little off from reality. A bit uncanny valley if you will.
From the start, we are made aware of how we’re about to be taken on this strange, yet intriguing, journey when they open with Temple Of Doom. Perfectly suiting the title, we are greeted with mystical sound effects before a distorted, droning guitar comes in alongside some rough vocals, leaving you with a first impression of potentially being a little confused from how strange it may sound, yet you’re open to it and eager to hear more.
What’s interesting about Melting Pop is the way it continuously blends heavy drone rock and chaotic psychedelia in a way that feels like it shouldn’t work, and yet it does. For the most part anyway. Across the eight-song-long album there are many highlights in how they bring everything together and how it works so well.
Yet there’s still one moment where you’re immediately put off instead of intrigued; during Ovija, which starts out with a heavier drone noise, FVZZ POPVLI decide to bring in vocals with a really strange slowed down effect that is just too weird even by their standards, although we do have the saving grace in that this is a mostly instrumental track so we aren’t subjugated to this for too long.
Luckily the remainder of the album makes up for that strange experience with highlights including, but not limited to; Kommando that opens with a sound effect of something falling from the sky before slowed down drone instrumental come in with rough vocals to nicely compliment it. It all leads to a stunning breakdown, an electronic sound effect that mirrors the guitar riffs and a sample from the film of the almost same name, COMMANDO; and Cop Sacher that has an intriguing combination of post-punk meets alternative meets psychedelic meets a saxophone, alongside another example of a strange voice effect that, while odd, works far better this time around.
Other little moments to appreciate is the drone heavy breakdown in Salty Biscvits and the funky opening during Erotik Fvel P.I.M.P., the point being that this record will be very difficult to forget once you’ve heard it. So, if you’re seeking an intriguing blend of chaotic sounds and cool sounding breakdowns that break genres, then FVZZ POPVLI have got you covered.
Rating: 7/10
Melting Pop is out now via Heavy Psych Sounds.
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