The tag team of Emily Kavanaugh and Mark Brooks have pumped out their brand of dark pop for well over a decade by this point, landing soundtrack appearances in each of the Deadpool films, as well as scoring the Comedy Central series Moonbeam City. Their third album, 2020’s Die Die Lullaby, landed a #1 debut on the US iTunes Electronic charts, with hits including “Miss Negativity,” “Gossip,” and “Die in the Disco.” Now, the LA twosome have brought us Masochist, another lean mean synthpop machine clocking in at just north of half an hour of bouncy, bassy synths and Kavanaugh’s dynamic vocal range.
There are some club bangers, runway stompers, and all-around hits on this disc, including the lead single “Crime Scene” and the sleek and seductive “Barbwire Kiss.” The former begs for a sing-along whether in one’s room, on the dance floor, or at the show, with its kinetic chorus and earworm of a melody. The latter speaks of irresistibility and desire over a four-on-the-floor groove and Brooks’ deft synth work.
“Pretty Girls Do Ugly Things” starts off innocently enough with just piano behind Kavanaugh’s vocals before descending into an energetic, full-force number that evokes memories of the previous record’s “Die in the Disco” in more than just the key. Among the treats of the record are the one-two punch of “Let’s Play Revenge!” followed by “The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum), with spooky and saccharine vibes preceding a spooky, swaying good time.
Night Club are four for four on their full-length releases, with Masochist taking its place as further evolving the band’s sound. Any one of their records serves as a great entry point into their catalog, with this latest entry bringing some of their most accomplished works yet.