Hyperpop havoc: underscores lights up the Subterranean with Wallsocket.
photo by Victor Qian.
April Harper Gray, better known as singer-songwriter underscores, infuses a rebellious and off-kilter flair to the hyperpop scene. In her sophomore album Wallsocket, Gray exhibits a more refined and evolved sound, building on the eclectic foundations laid by her debut album, Fishmonger. Fishmonger navigates various electronic music genres with a sense of exploratory zeal; Wallsocket maintains this eclectic spirit but has a more coherent narrative and thematic consistency, showcasing how Gray has matured and honed her craft. Each sonic element, be it the driving beats or the fizzy guitar melodies, melds seamlessly with the others, creating a sound that immerses listeners into her unique sonic soundscape. For example, in "You Don’t Even Know Who I Am," Gray uses downbeat bass lines and a haunting vocal sample to amplify the disturbing and eerie narrative of a parasocial relationship with uninvited familiarity.
Watching underscores perform live was an incredible experience of escapism. As the beats of anthems like “Cops and Robbers,” “Locals (Girls Like Us),” and “Spoiled little brat” reverberated through the sold-out venue, a world of chaotic harmony unfolded. Underscores' electrifying energy ignited the pits, creating a vortex of euphoria that swept everyone into a collective reverie. The roaring of fans belting out lyrics like “Geez Louise!” transcended the mere physicality of the venue, morphing the space into a stadium-esque sonic utopia. Bolstered by a fiery fanbase, underscores at the Subterranean was not just a concert, but a communal voyage into the audacious spirit of Gray’s impressive artistry. As underscores continues to innovate within the electronic music sphere, the charm of her music promises many more captivating live performances in the near future. Check out Wallsocket now.
edited by Joseph Mooney, Editor-in-Chief, & David Hall, Copy Editor.
photos by Victor Qian.