Poppy Is Back with Latest Album, “Negative Spaces”
Poppy fans are always looking forward to finding what stylistic direction she decides to pursue next, and she has certainly not disappointed with her most recent studio album, “Negative Spaces“. With every release, she reinvents herself in some way, but this album sees her embracing a sound that feels both nostalgic and cutting-edge, delivering an experience that is as intense as it is captivating.
Emerging in the mid-2010s as an enigmatic internet persona blending surreal performance art with synthetic pop, Poppy quickly gained attention for her otherworldly aesthetic and robotic delivery. Her early work was marked by hyper-stylized, saccharine pop songs paired with unsettling visuals, but by 2018, she began shifting toward a heavier, more aggressive sound. With “I Disagree” in 2020, she fully embraced a metal-driven direction, solidifying her reputation as an artist unafraid to defy expectations. Since then, her genre-fluid approach has continued to evolve, making her one of the most unpredictable figures in modern music.
The 2024 album, released through Sumerian Records, is her sixth studio album and arguably her most musically cohesive to date. While her career has been marked by constant genre shifts, “Negative Spaces” signals a return to the roots of the metal sound she has favored since “I Disagree.” Unlike its immediate predecessors, “Zig” and “Flux“, this album strips away many of her artistic persona’s pure pop elements in favor of something darker, heavier, and more aggressive. The record, however, is far from one-dimensional. In “Negative Spaces”, she masterfully blends nu metal’s crushing intensity with moments of eerie synth-pop atmospherics, crafting a soundscape that feels immersive and dynamic. Her ability to juxtapose jarring, distorted guitar riffs with infectious melodies makes for an album that is simultaneously chaotic and meticulously structured.
The album starts out strong with “have you had enough?”, a track that immediately sets the stage by contrasting her signature bubblegum voice with industrial sounds and visceral screaming. This is followed by “the cost of giving up,” which fully embraces nu metal’s raw energy with an anthemic chorus, layering heavy, chugging guitars over pulsing drum beats. Moments of desperation come through here: “Why does it feel like help will never come?/Maybe I’m the one I’m running from/It’s too much to carry/It’s all getting heavy”. As the album progresses, Poppy takes listeners on an unpredictable journey, weaving in elements of her past pop experiments. “crystallized” stands out with its shimmering synths, offering a brief reprieve from the darkness, almost chanting “I’ll never be alone again” and offering dreamy visuals like “my heart is full of diamonds” and “all my tears have crystallized”. “vital,” too, with its dreamy intro and emo-tinged chorus, is reminiscent of Poppy’s previous work. The album continues to build to the title track, “negative spaces,” which evokes classic pop punk energy, with its relentless guitar work and soaring chorus, feeling both nostalgic and entirely fresh. The album’s first single, “new way out,” begins with Poppy exclaiming her own name in a sugary, innocent voice before it crashes into a grimy metal guitar riff, serving as a microcosm of the album’s feel—playful yet punishing, accessible yet aggressive. The screams here are raw and real: “I cannot let it in, they’ll take my everything”. It feels like an outlet for the rage that comes from being trapped and cornered. Here more than ever she leans into a nu metal sound that will be crushingly familiar to anyone who grew up in the heyday of that genre.
The overarching mood of the album is one of feminine rage unleashed. This is perhaps her most uninhibited work to date, fully embracing metal and industrial sounds while still leaving room for moments of vulnerability. It intersperses the screaming with plentiful moments of soft emotion, as well as an occasional nod to her cheeky pop persona, reminding listeners that Poppy is an artist who refuses to be confined to a single genre. More than ever, “Negative Spaces” feels like a declaration of artistic freedom, wherein she fully reconciles the seemingly contradictory sides of her musical identity—the metal queen and the pop princess. In doing so, she delivers an album that is as electrifying as it is deeply personal, further cementing her place as one of the most unpredictable artists in contemporary music.
Stay tuned for what Poppy has in store for us next, and listen to “Negative Spaces” here. Even better, go see her in person! She is on tour now, and tickets can be found here.
Hard to believe the girl from the Youtube videos has become greatest rock star of all time. Love this album and every song on it – even “Crystallized”, which I’d probably hate if anyone else recorded it. Nothing quite as crazy as “Scary Mask” or “Concrete” here but an album full of absolute epics, nearly all of which could be a final encore for any show.
There is absolutely no one better than Poppy. I put her up there with all the greats. I’m just sad to see she’s playing clubs and theatres while Taylor Swift sells out stadiums around the world.