Album Review: Girlpool - 'What Chaos Is Imaginary'

On their self titled debut EP and subsequent debut album, “Before the World Was Big”, Girlpool displayed their enchanting songwriting without the need for drums. Then came 2017s “Powerplant”, seeing drums join the fray but the songwriting remained as strong as ever.

Now it’s 2019 and it’s time for their latest effort, “What Chaos Is Imaginary” and the album certainly lives up to expectations. Lead single, “Hire” draws on the same nostalgic indie sensibilities that Girlpool have always pulled from, but with an extra intensity that makes the song irresistible. The tracks across the album take the sound we know and love from previous Girlpool efforts and either drives them toward indie rock perfection, or puts a new spin on them such as “Chemical Freeze” with its electronic tendencies.

“What Chaos Is Imaginary” extends the band’s discography into a terrific trio with each record having its own niche, “What Chaos...” arguably being Girlpool’s most experimental offering to date. From “All Blacked Out”’s quiet, dreamy, sound to the borderline Shoegaze of “Roses”, this record is effortlessly good. For this reviewer, no faults have been found, only hours of repeated listening and anticipation for whatever Girlpool chooses to do next.

Words by Nathan Blackstone

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