HOLYCHILD

HOLYCHILD aren’t exactly surprised that in the last few years their brand of brainy effervescent tunes have caught on.

Pleased? Yes. Honored? Of course. But given the way the social trends have been bending, neither member find it shocking that music fans are craving substance.

It’s Brat Pop, the glittery blend of electronic beats and tell-it-like it is lyrics that Liz Nistico and co-writer/producer Louie Diller perfected with their debut album The Shape of Brat Pop to Come. It’s a potent blend that’s alive and well on their newest offering, the five song EP, America Oil Lamb. The collaboration EP features the talents of Kate Nash, RAC, Mereki, Tkay Maidza, MS MR, and Kitten. The release sees the Los Angeles duo stretching their signature sound showcasing them and showing their influences of alt-rock, hip hop and R&B.

“We felt we could stretch more on this record, since each song is a collaboration,” Diller muses. “It was fun to explore and show different sides of us on the EP…I think Liz’s voice and me producing/mixing most everything helps tie it together though, so there’s still a HOLYCHILD vibe.”

As with any HOLYCHILD outing, the theme here is equality: be it gender, racially or economically based. Over the course of five songs, the artists take on a myriad of topics, including toxic relationships in our commercial world (“Rotten Teeth”), the shallowness of celebrity idolization (“Not Invited”), and corporate America drowning our emotions (“America Oil Lamb”). It should come as no surprise that both members proudly refer to themselves as feminists—a word that they’re proud to embrace.

Nowhere is that more evident than the duo’s first single, the Kate Nash featuring cut “Rotten Teeth.” Across insistent drum machines and waves of synths, Nistico reflects on the state of the modern woman, declaring  “I can never be the girl I want to be/no no I’m never free,” with Nash replying “Do we eat or just starve ourselves tonight?”

“The commodification of feminism is interesting to me,” says Nistico. “On one hand, I feel frustrated. Of course we’re in this capitalist world where we’re selling everything we possibly can. On the other hand, it excites me because the trend of feminism is so cool! It’s so good for the cause! Our EP is essentially embracing that paradox and trying to be true to ourselves while we are doing it. Can we change things through pop? I don’t know, we’re still trying to figure it all out.”