Swamp-Hop

Ivy Levan, an American pop artist originally hailing from Arkansas, is bursting onto the scene with the full-length No Good. The album boasts a sound Levan herself describes as “swamp-hop,” a dynamic explosion of Southern-infused dance music. The melded genres are certainly an acquired taste, but if you can get past the initial shocking juxtaposition of Levan’s growling voice against the sugary-pop backdrop of the LP, several surprisingly catchy tracks can be found.

“The Dame Says” lets the listener know what they’re in for right out of the gate. Levan’s voice is aggressive and confronting as she snarls lyrics like “All eyes on me/I’ma give you what you need.” However, if lines such as “You see I got my cake/And I f***ing ate it, too” were subtracted, the track could easily fit snugly into a Disney movie, sharing the same accessible and upbeat qualities as many popular musical numbers.

“Champagne Taste” showcases Levan’s sense of humor, with the main chorus hook featuring her chanting she has “Champagne taste with a Bud Light budget.” It’s a party jam, with a twist of originality. “Like a Glove” (featuring Cadre) is less refreshing. Although the track starts strong, when approaching the rap verse, things spiral into pure crudeness very quickly. The listener is jolted awake far too suddenly, and is left feeling slightly uncomfortable.

“Johnny Boy” is a highlight of the album. Levan seems to tone down her frighteningly in-your-face vocals for a hot second, singing wistful lyrics such as “Hello, hello/ Where’s my Johnny boy.” It’s an almost haunting track, and Levan’s crooning about lost love is a welcome change from the usual lyrics of partying and domination.

No Good is a highly ambitious venture. It is seemingly genre-defying, creating a new breed of country-tinged pop listeners will either love or hate. Although each track is infectiously catchy, Levan’s growling gets tired, and at the end of the day, there’s only so much high-tempo nonstop “swamp-hop” one can take.