Experimentation with promise

Gothic Tropic’s, AKA Cecilia Della Peruti’s, newest EP Tang Brain gives a modern pop-inspired spin to rock. With electronic elements, the album dives into modern influences spanning from 1980s synth-pop to Lana Del Rey, it is clear that Gothic Tropic dives into their forces. Much of the album shows the great potential of Gothic Tropic but neglects originality. Certainly, it is clear that Peruti, upon narrowing her focus, could put out something current and fresh. Her talent is clearly there, and that certainly shows through the album. 

The opening track, “Give Me The Love,” is a collaboration with Allie X and allows Gothic Tropic to expand beyond traditional sounds. Even the use of the ever-popular synthesizer seems fresh in “Give Me The Love,” with a heavy bassline. Its vocals are reminiscent of Lana Del Rey’s Norman Fucking Rockwell, with its airy vibratos. That being said, both voices intertwine seamlessly in the duet, which creates a cohesive edge to the opening song. It sets the bar high but does not define the entire album. 

Tang Brain intends on being experimental in its sound. Even the difference between the first and second songs shows the desire to not fit into a singular mold. “OnlyFans” is introduced as moody, with a 1990s pop-rock sensibility before erupting into a more punk chorus. It is clear that this type of sound is having a major comeback, with artists such as Willow and Olivia Rodrigo achieving wild popularity with their crossover work. It is a wildly diverse song, which shows the true range of Della Peruti.

“Made Up Bad” makes the change to an almost exclusively pop sound, with an instrumental breakdown that combines heavy drum work with electronica. Echoes of the vocals in the chorus make it more sonically interesting beyond its EDM influence. It is hard to distinguish the rock influences in this song; however, anyone who enjoys the more modern pop scene will certainly enjoy the switch from the pop-rock elements to electronic rock. 

Continuing this trend, “My Friend” has a more droning chorus to its basic baseline. It is hard to distinguish it from the previous song, negating the sparkling tones of the first two songs. It is only at the very end of the song, with its distortion, that the track shows the distinctive crossover sound present within the Allie X collaboration. 

However, the dreamy vocals come back in the song “Please Say Yes.” Bossa nova-inspired instrumentals collide with the autotuned vocals to form a distinct sound that shows the very best of the potential of Gothic Tropic. It is incredibly diverse in its sound, which shows hints of the true greatness of Della Peruti. One can only hope that over time, Gothic Tropic’s sound gets more refined. It is clear that this sound is seeing a resurgence, so it will be fascinating to see how large Gothic Tropic becomes.