Review Summary: MY COMPUTER IS A MOTHERFUCKING GANGSTER
According to the minimal info online about this band, Self Insert consists of producers Sebastian Hedge and Zakary Waxman. "Philias" is their first release, and the name seems to fit all too well with a band name that alludes to f**king yourself.
I discovered this record on Reddit after seeing someone call it "a love story for inanimate objects, gangster computers, and people who turn into cars"...Okay. I was also struck by the album cover which immediately reminded me of Madonna's "Erotica" or Radiohead's "The Bends". It pictures one of the band members (I assume) in a venetian mask in some sort of state of ecstasy. In hindsight, this is a pretty good summary of the themes of the album, all the song titles use the suffix "-philia".
Clocking in at only three songs, I wasn't expecting much. Luckily, my conniptions about the length seemed like a distant memory after getting smacked in the face by the opening line "My computer is a mother***ing gangster, sucking that cock...". "Philias" is a bizarre fusion of balls-to-the-wall punk/electronic production that harkens back to digital hardcore internet groups like Death Grips and Atari Teenage Riot, but with a unique playfulness and absurdity. You immediately notice the vocals are pitched up or modulated in a way that makes them sound like computerized social media influencers on LSD.
The opening track "Technophilia" cycles through raunchy rap verses and sung choruses over aggressively fried and voice-like blocks of sound. Voices and characters seem to change, including a verse where the aforementioned "computer gangster" delivers her own thoughts about the situation, and a barbershop-harmony esq outro where the band laments about how computers have become more real then they are.
"Objectophilia" immediately changes pace by cooling down the tempo and switching to a more melodic approach. The feel changes to an ethereal but heavy pop sound that reminds me of Owl City meets Boyz II Men, but inside of a Chinese restaurant trash can in a not-so-distant cyberpunk future. The lyrics use so many car metaphors I can only assume "Objectophilia" refers to wanting to screw a tailpipe. Halfway through the song, the beat and vocal palette completely changes and the band shows off a more progressive side with live sounding drums and experimental passages before coming to a messy but carnivalesque finish that ties everything together. "YOUR WORLD TOOK ME IN, AND I TURNED IT DOWN!"
"Necrophilia" returns to the harsh rap sound with a much darker and vile flavor. A new character takes the stand and professes with a digital serpents tounge to have committed every common crime on the earth. The thoughts of social media influences arise again. They cycle through blistering rap verses before a laughable skit involving a judge and a bridge section devoted entirely to listing criminal charges. The hardest moment on this release takes place at the very end as a massive downtuned guitar licks dance around the band as they hammer in the final chorus: "All I want is fame and I don't give a ***".
Don't get me wrong, the sound on this record can be messy, and some of the vocal performances and concepts feel a little goofy or underdeveloped. Weird spots aside, this felt like a primer of a very unique take on hyperpop or experimental rap full of crazy earworms and production gems. Any fans of these genres who are accepting of more underground and lofi sounds should give this a listen. As a big fan of bands in this scene, it is very refreshing to hear something that isn't a clear derivative of landmarks in the style: Death Grips, Sophie, Arca, JPEG, etc. There's certainly something here and I'm definitely staying tuned for what they do next.
