ALBUM REVIEW: 100 gecs - 10,000 gecs

    Of all the recent musical acts that I can put a name to, it seems that one have had quite the cult following (or as much debate) as that of 100 gecs. A hyperpop duo forming in the Holy Lands of St. Louis Missouri, 100 gecs rose to prominence with 2019s 1000 gecs album, which garnered quite a bit of acclaim and success, especially with songs like "Money Machine" being decently popular - in spite of this success, nearly every corner of the internet that I've been on (not named Anthony Fantano comments) have mainly been filled with hate for these musicians, rarely any deeper than "it sounds like ass". Admittedly, I did not like "Money Machine" all that much, but I'm a guy with a relatively open mind, and I went in to 10,000 gecs not expecting anything. If I can say anything after repeated listening, it's that this isn't nearly as bad as some of the discourse around this duo could make it out to be. With that being said, 10,000 gecs does not live up to the hype that its strongest defenders may present it as - while there are some fun and zany moments that are enjoyable, most of this is really not that exciting or enjoyable to listen to. It's not ear-bleeding, more-so just a flat experience.

    To give some credit where it's due, I still don't think there's anything that sounds quite like 100 gecs that I've heard in recent memory - whether that's a good or bad thing depends on your point of view, I suppose, but I won't pretend that I've heard another song quite as... unique as "757". Going off of what minimal familiarity I have with this duo, some of this was exactly what I expected, mainly in the department of songs like "Dumbest Girl Alive" or "Hollywood Baby", with the latter being a pretty decent tune - there comes a time when I must swallow a little bit of my pride, and this is it. Gecs also don't stick to that sound either, and they especially branch out on the second side - the nu-metal "Billy Knows Jamie" is followed by the EDM "One Million Dollars", which is then followed by the hip-hop "The Most Wanted Person in the United States", which is yet again succeeded by the ska of "I Got My Tooth Removed". They wear most of these different shades decently well, too, even if "I Got My Tooth Removed" and "The Most Wanted Person in the United States" are the only two that really go anywhere.

    Outside those moments, and the admittedly very fun "Frog on the Floor" (which is probably my favorite moment), there isn't a whole lot to 10,000 gecs that makes it particularly thrilling to return to. Sure it isn't exactly out of the norm for gecs, nor is it nearly as bad as I expected, but there's still something that just makes listening to this album a bizarre and alarming experience. "Doritos & Fritos" was a popular track from the few other people I know who've this album, but it doesn't do a whole lot to me - I'm sure part of that is the fact that I find the overly electronic vocals more bizarre than I do captivating. Other moments like "mememe" or "Billy Knows Jamie" outwardly unpleasant to listen to, especially with the latter's sound clipping. If there is anything you can say about the album, though, it's that it isn't front or back-heavy - it is pretty consistent in its special brand of mediocrity.

    If I can give any major compliment to 10,000 gecs, outside of it not being an immediate low-scorer, it's that clearly the musical duo is open to experimentation and trying all kinds of sounds out, and that is always commendable. Even better, some of these experiments work out and result in the album's more enjoyable moments. Still, that ultimately doesn't save 10,000 gecs from being a pretty middle of the road record that leaves very little for me to return to outside of a few highlights. Who knows what's coming from these two next, but whatever it is, I hope they can take some of the ideas that worked here and expand on them for the next release (100,000 gecs or whatever).

RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

Listen to 10,000 gecs.