Slayyyter's 'Troubled Paradise' Is Pop at Its Most Uninhibited
Historically, pop's relationship with sex has been one of clever innuendo and allusions, always playing with the idea of promiscuity while remaining a safe distance from anything that could hurt its mainstream bottom line - a PG-13 movie, if you will. And then there's Slayyyter a sex-positive pop icon like no other.
In her euphoric debut album, Troubled Paradise, Slayyyter holds nothing back. An avid student of pop stalwarts like Lady Gaga and Britney Spears, Slayyyter's debut expectedly feels larger-than-life, especially when it makes its way into uncharted territory. On the album's opener, "Self-Destruct," producer and DJ Wuki lays the groundwork for what's to come with a high-octane tour de force that blends hip-hop production, explosive breakdowns, and Slayyyter's infectious braggadocio.
Not one to lose steam for even a second, the ensuing "Venom" and delightfully tongue-in-cheek "Throatzillaaa," showcase Slayyyter's rapturous hyperpop, calling to mind a more visceral PC Music. And while "Throatzillaaa" and much of Troubled Paradise is rife with unapologetic sexual references, it's never to function as mere shock factor. Rather, it gives color to her kaleidoscopic world, where excess in all things - sex, love, and heartbreak - is the celebrated norm.
That is not to say Troubled Paradise is without its tender moments. The titular track and "Clouds," with their shimmering soundscape and racing production, call to mind the dance breaks that defined much Y2K-era pop ballads. And then there's the album closer, "Letters," an acoustic lovelorn number that soon evolves to unveil a heavenly swell of electronic-accented orchestration. It is an unexpected moment that leverages Slayyyter's strengths to their fullest, presenting a dreamlike and undeniably sincere vision of retro-future pop.
No matter where Slayyyter transports her intoxicating hyperpop vision on Troubled Paradise, one thing remains constant. Through outpourings of futuristic production, irreverent sexual references, to sincere close-to-the-heart confessions, Slayyyter compromises for no one.
Listen to Troubled Paradise below:
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