100 Gecs is a Los Angeles-based duo that has made tons of noise in the online music world since forming in 2015. Composed of producers Laura Les and Dylan Brady, the pair have been hard at work on a follow-up to their critically acclaimed debut, 1000 Gecs. With one studio album, a remix album, and now a long-awaited sophomore release, 100 Gecs has delivered an eclectic body of work exploring territories the band has never gone before. With insanely funny tracks such as money machine and hand crushed by a mallet in the band's repertoire, Gecs shows that they can evolve and still have a kickass time.
On Dumbest Girl Alive, the THX studio film audio sample makes this track feel like the beginning of a movie that's been in development hell for several years. In Gecs' case, this album was delayed for a considerable gap between their first full-length studio effort. The enormous guitar riff and the explosive, distorted drum beat that kicks off the track show Gecs going in an alternative rock direction while maintaining their hyper-pop roots. The throbbing bass that carries throughout Les' vocal passages makes for a solid start to the record. "Yes, I'll fucking text you back!!!," Les bellows. This track feels like a nod to those of us that had ADHD and were prescribed brain-frying medication to deal with the matter.
Much like Dumbest Girl Alive, the track Hollywood Baby provides an anthem that feels like something from a Warped Tour afterparty for the 21+ (And the fake ID possessing) crowd. Don't be fooled. The playfulness of this track is fantastic. Les writes "Clear blue sky but it rains all the late fees. Did you get the payment? We had an arrangement. We don't wanna watch the news, we just read statements." As someone who's moved from a big city to another big city in pursuit of professional endeavors, this is relatable. Suppose Gecs' presence in the touring and festival circuit is any indication. In that case, the pair have been chomping at the bit to make their duo a profitable endeavor, and the pitfalls of the music industry require the band to do everything they can to make this a worthwhile full-time gig. The infectious chorus and beautifully pompous bridge are also an energized sing-along that captivates while serving as a cautionary tale about the shortcomings of show biz.
On the album's earlier singles Doritos and Fritos, Les and Brady are firing on all cylinders, discussing junk food and devouring it with Danny Devito. Brady's verse is one of the most ear-wormy passages on the entire record. "Eating Doritos with Danny Devito," a bar that eloquently sums up the entire record. The funky drums and bassline combined with the Crunkcore electronics make for a raging track with both Les and Brady at the forefront, showing the audience how they can remain their jokester selves while also evolving and sculpting what they do best in a boisterously humorous presentation.
The nu-metal influences on Billy Knows Jamie are a complete festival-ready mosh pit starter. The track reminds me of the Woodstock 99 performance of Limp Bizkit's Break Stuff, where frontman Fred Durst was accused of inciting a riot by telling the audience members to "Take all of your negative energy, and let that shit out of your system." Despite releasing in 2023, Les and Brady bring and own the Nu-Metal sound. The track rages on for two minutes before eventually drowning in a vortex of distortion and blown-out instrumentation that beat the listener to the ground before the track burns out in a sea of electronic-screaming-nu-metal ferocity.
The demented Tiktok-esque auto-generated vocals on the track One Million Dollars are a testament to the bizarrely genius production skills of Gecs. The track is noisy, nonsensical, and just all-around wild. The meme culture and overall silliness that Gecs exhibits on this record is something to behold. The two aren't afraid to make jokes, and the pair have never told the same joke twice. While this track does not feature vocals from the pair, the message gets across and still makes for an absolute banger cut on this release. The different dictation-style vocals that reveal themselves all over this track get so profane and so absurd that the track just feels like business as usual for Gecs.
The duet format of The Most Wanted Person In The United States provides a subtle, stripped-down snapshot of what Brady's production skills hold. When Les sings "Don't cry to me, I am not your mother. Everybody shuts the fuck up when I'm passing. You can see me on the fucking news, and I'm laughing," which checks out with Les' earlier jumping-on-someones-mattress-with-vans-on sentiment on Hey Big Man from their 2022 Snake Eyes EP.
I Got My Tooth Removed is a smash from various angles. Not only does the track work as a hilariously dark singalong, but a cut that makes for a raving audience participation affair. For a topic this painful, Les' lines about brushing every day and managing the pain that comes with such an event are portrayed in an upbeat fashion while also stressing the severity of the situation. The bridge of this track is also an emotional rollercoaster. Les laments her dental hygiene choices, as she is now saying goodbye to something as near and dear as her tooth. If Les does something great on this record, it's making you feel right with the band when they tell these preposterous tales. You're probably doing it wrong if you're not eating flaming hot Cheetos and/or drinking Vodka Redbulls when this record plays.
The biggest problem with this record is that it's too short. At just 27 minutes, Gecs has very little time to get their message across. Therefore, the band wastes little time. With these ten tracks, Gecs has shown that they're nothing but focused on two things, making kickass songs and having a blast doing it. Gecs doesn't take themselves too seriously, which works to their soaring advantage. Whether it's junk food, painful mouth procedures, or Nu-Crunk Metal meltdowns, the band finds new ways to be eclectic and fresh with every track the pair churns out. As the pair's mantra beholds, we're all going to die, so let's have some fun while we still can.
Listen: https://100gecs.lnk.to/10000gecs