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Photo: Kate Biel

It's no secret that 2021 has been sorely lacking in forward-thinking pop releases, but luckily things seem to be turning around. This week sees Petticoat returns to fans with his newest project Hedon, a five-track EP comprised mainly of singles released over the past year.  

If this is your first time hearing about the 24-year-old LA-via-Bay Area artist, then consider this an early look into one of pop's most promising up-and-comers. Having caught the attention of budding pop icons like Slayyyter while amassing a small (but devoted) fanbase, Petticoat pulls no punches on his newest project.

Synthesizing futurism-focused pop with genres like new wave and experimental club music, Hedon is Petticoat's bold self-introduction to the modern pop sphere. From the project's earliest moments of glittering synths to the thundering bass signals dominating its finale, Hedon showcases masterfully polished pop production to an almost enviable extent.  

Tracks like "Stretch" sound like NSYNC* and Charli XCX hopped into the studio together while "The Middle" features a Kraftwerk-esque bassline with some serious Pet Shop Boys vibes, but each track still maintains Petticoat's signature sound. Petticoat's affinity for clever songwriting mixed with his natural talent for crafting forward-thinking yet nostalgic pop bangers is one of the things that has kept me returning to this project long after writing this article.

Hedon is not just a bells-and-whistles project full of perfectly polished mixes, however, as underneath Petticoat's delicately mastered vocals lies a treasure trove of vulnerability and earnestness. "Where Will I Go?" explores the tension behind the listless disillusionment of age combined with an impassioned cry for direction during an uncertain time. The tracks that decorate Hedon and its tracklist delve into love, cultural hegemony, and the euphoric optimism of youthlike exuberance.  

It is rare that artists like Petticoat are able to seamlessly craft witty lyrics and advanced musical styles so early into their career, but to our own fortune, "Hedon" is just that. Whether or not you find yourself partial to pop from the '80s, the 2000's, electro-pop, or dance music, "Hedon" has a little something for everybody.  

Listen to Hedon  below: