PVRIS has just unveiled a special 5 song mix tape titled F.I.L.T.H.
If you have watched that epic steam punk animation ARCANE, then you have heard the work of PVRIS.
Starting off in Lowell, Massachusetts in 2012 under the name Operation Guillotine. PVRIS now consist 99% of the time, with their main front-person and longest standing band member, Lynn Gunn.
Normally I don’t really go for this type of music, but there is just something on the edge of NEW that I am digging with this mix tape. A lot within here that has been seen and heard before, and it’s certainly a radio friendly mixtape for sure. But also, there is something that I just can’t put my finger on, and that’s what’s dragging me in.
F.I.L.T.H has the ability to bring mainstream music lovers across the border into harder categories.
Take the track THE BLOB for example. Catchy chorus that you can get on board with in a second of hearing it, but then sneaking throughout the track is a super charged real piece of filth which comes to the forefront on the first break in the form of a grungy metallic guitar driven sound that just smooshes your face and keeps the head bobbing along. Poppy vocals but a duuurty base and snare that vibrates through the body.
OIL & WATER is a straight up pop song but with some added flare. Lovely arpeggio like synth flowing underneath with a howling note bending bed on top. And again with that electronic snare and base drum kicking all the way through.
Burn the witch with its accompanied music video is an egressive pop punk alt rock mash up that could have been produced by Will.I.AM.
Think ZEF STYLE’s DIE ANTWOORD mixed with AZEALIA BANKS. Black and white and creative. We get a triple threat of Gunn, Tommy Genesis, and Alice Longyu Gao featuring on this track and each take full control in their versus. We have that metallic powerchord punch coming in here too, which you could almost compare to Limp Biscuits “Break Stuff”.
I am loving the double time change on the chorus too mixed with the half time through out.
REPTILLIAN has a serious groove. Slowing down a little on an R&B beat. It’s a quick simple track that grabs you and moves you, without you even noticing.
Lynsey Gunn is yet another cog in the music industry working towards a change. An organic change that has been happening for sometime now, but not fast enough. More representation within the industry. The new mixtape features and was crafted by all female, non-binary, and queer personnel, including engineers, producers, and featured artists. Notable features include LIGHTS, Tommy Genesis, Alice Longyu-Gao, Mothica, Uffie, and Sizzy Rocket.
Gunn goes on to say:
“F.I.L.T.H. is a self-produced collaborative music project between friends and past tour-mates. I wanted to make a small project where some other female/non-binary artists could hop into the world of PVRIS and vice-versa, have as much control over the lyrics and music as they wanted and simply just have fun making some music together!
Everyone had free rein to write what they wanted and add their own voice (figuratively and literally) to each track. All songs were created, mixed, mastered by women/non-binary friends and all were written and produced at home in my apartment and then completed on the road while on tour. Wish there was more time to make even more… hoping for more projects like this in the future!“
More and more music is easily being created at home in tiny rooms on tiny laptops and I will never fully commit to “loving” this approach, other than catching your ideas, to then bring to a full band. But I can get on board with this MixTape for what it is, and what it represents, and the power it has for representation to the LGBTQ+ community.
Think I have listened to this EP maybe 15 times already in the space of 24 hours.
So for that, I give this 7 out of 10 stars. A mixtape ill be playing for some time to come.
F.I.L.T.H. is out now on all streaming platforms and available in stores nationwide.
LISTEN TO THE MIXTAPE: F.I.L.T.H.
Produced by Lindsey Gunnulfsen
Mixed by Kayla Reagan
Mastered by Kayla Reagan and Idania Valencia
Main photo F.I.L.T.H. artwork
Reviewer Carl Foran – @carlforanphotography