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For years, LIZ has existed slightly ahead of the curve. Long before Y2K nostalgia became pop’s dominant aesthetic, she was building a world of her own, one where glossy hooks, futuristic production, and unapologetic femininity could coexist. On her sophomore album, Prototype, she sharpens that vision into her most cohesive statement yet. The result is a body of work that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly current, embracing the fantasy of pop while remaining grounded in genuine emotion.

Across ten tracks, the album trades some of the maximalist energy of LIZ’s last album Planet Y2K for a sleeker blend of dance-pop, contemporary R&B, and shimmering electronic production. Songs like “L in Lover” and “Likey” channel the carefree spirit of late-‘90s and early-2000s pop, packed with infectious melodies and playful charm. Elsewhere, “Juicy Sweet” leans into flirtation with a dreamy, tropical glow, while “My Psychic” transforms heartbreak into one of the album’s catchiest moments. Even when the production feels polished and effortless, there’s a sense that LIZ is chasing something deeper than nostalgia. Rather than simply recreating the sounds that inspired her, she uses them as a framework to explore the messiness of modern relationships.

One of the album’s most significant tracks arrives as “Sunscreen.” Originally written and produced by the late SOPHIE, with additional production completed by her brother Benny Long, the song carries an emotional weight that extends beyond the album itself. Pairing LIZ’s sun-soaked romanticism with SOPHIE’s visionary approach to pop, “Sunscreen” feels both celebratory and bittersweet. Years after redefining the possibilities of pop music, SOPHIE’s influence remains unmistakable, and her presence here serves as a reminder of the creative legacy she left behind. Within the context of Prototype, the track also serves as a bridge between LIZ’s past and present, connecting the experimental spirit that first defined her work with the more refined direction she embraces here.

Beneath Prototype‘s sparkling exterior lies an album preoccupied with desire, vulnerability, and self-discovery. LIZ explores different shades of love throughout the record, often allowing confidence and uncertainty to exist side by side. On “Mercy” and “Jus Wanna,” attraction borders on obsession, while “Luv U 2 Death” captures the uneasy feeling of wanting to believe in someone despite knowing the risks. Meanwhile, “Becuz I” offers a refreshing counterpoint, trading infatuation for trust and highlighting a quieter, more grounded form of connection. Together, these songs paint a portrait of someone navigating the highs and lows of intimacy in real time, embracing both the thrill and the uncertainty that come with it.

That emotional tension ultimately gives the record its depth, celebrating escapism while never losing sight of the emotions that inspire it. By the time the closing track “Reload” hits, LIZ shifts her focus from infatuation to growth, reflecting on heartbreak and the challenge of moving forward. The song’s central question, how to let go of someone who has become part of your identity, serves as a fitting conclusion to an album filled with people searching for connection, validation, and belonging.

Like its title suggests, Prototype isn’t as concerned with presenting a finished version of oneself as embracing the process of becoming. Through shimmering pop production, sharp songwriting, and moments of genuine vulnerability, LIZ delivers her most immersive and self-assured project to date, using the sounds and styles that influenced her to create something unique, showing that making something new can be as impactful as remembering the past.

Listen to Prototype below: