I Disagree Review

Last week internet popstar and apparent religious leader Poppy released her new full length EP entitled “I Disagree”, and it certainly turned some heads. Departing from her previous embrace of a satirical pop aesthetic, her new album, appropriately released by Sumerian Records, blends her signature sugar-sweet pop sound with a fairly broad range of metal subgenres. The obvious comparison to draw is that of Babymetal, which Poppy even potentially eludes to herself with the Japanese opening lyrics to the titular track, but Grimes' recent musical direction has also likely influenced Poppy given that they have been collaborators in the past.

It’s very difficult to know what to make of this album, in large part because it is abundantly clear that Poppy is a character, a persona created in order to perform, thus making it impossible to distinguish what is real and what is merely provocation for provocation’s sake. Subsequently I found it hard to emotionally connect with I Disagree, instead being left trying to unpick seemingly endless layers of meta self-awareness.

With that being said, both the album’s lyrical content and the juxtaposition of polar opposite genres makes it a powerful absurdist statement, which may well have been it’s intention. Perhaps you are not meant to emotionally connect with it - it simply serves as a reminder that music is ridiculous, entertainment is ridiculous, culture and life are ridiculous. None of it really matters and so you may as well try to have some fun along the way - although that is a lot easier when your bank account is of similar stature to Poppy’s.

An oddly enjoyable record, albeit one which deliberately makes itself difficult to love - 7/10.