Okay, I’ll come out and say it. Part of me loves Starfucker just so that I can feel really intense when I say their name. But even if I didn’t get that titillating thrill of rebellion each time their naughty moniker slipped through my lips, I would still argue that Starfucker’s new album, Reptilians, is one of the best albums so far this year. An enticing blend of inventive dance hooks paired with darkly complex lyrics, Reptilians is any fan’s ideal follow-up album. While it contains the throbbing, catchy dance beats of previous Starfucker albums, Reptilians shows much more musical depth, intermixing club-worthy electronic hits with more melancholic and delicate pieces.
When listened to as a whole, Reptilians shows tremendous complexity and range, yet still manages to connect each song with a common uniting thread. That being said, the album certainly has its standout moments. The opening song “Born,” for example, begins with a stripped down acoustic guitar and a single electronic beat that builds as the song progresses into a swirling electro-pop confection of uncontrollable catchiness. Another notable track, “Bury Us Alive,” which pairs ethereal back beats with heavier dance throbs to create the perfect club hit, sounds like it would be ideal for a night out on the town. Yet, while both of the aforementioned tracks have already accumulated a total of 59 plays on my iTunes library in five days, my favorite track on the album has to be “Death as a Fetish.” More understated than many of the other tracks on the album, “Death as a Fetish” sounds like the track that ought to be listened to on a road trip with your crush at that moment when you’re both enjoying the peacefulness of one another’s company.
As I was working on this review, my roommate came up to me and asked me what I was writing. When I told her that I was doing the review for the new Starfucker album, I still felt that naughty little thrill of saying their F-word-infused stage name. But after listening to this album, I now associate Starfucker with so much more than just the ability to get to curse without guilt, namely an album that may be one of the greatest records released in a long time. I know that’s a pretty bold statement, but it’s just that good.
Reptilians by Starfucker (STRFKR) was released on March 8, 2011 on Polyvinyl Records
Review by Edie Adams