I was just listening to “Kathy Lee,” and I’m pretty sure you were, too. Jessy Lanza’s 2013 debut Pull My Hair Back pushed pop music forward, and the Hamilton, Ontario artist is back with Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys alongside her, again (yass!). Oh No continues the experimental pop/r&b aesthetic but contains a more uptempo spirit, with crisp melodies, catchy hooks, and minimally produced rhythms offering a subtle but memorable listening experience. Check out the vibrant “VV Violence” that’s bound to keep both indie-rock and dance crowds happy, or the colorful and bouncy “It Means I Love You,” which is fun to listen to and play out. Other picks include “Vivica,” “Oh No,” and “Never Enough,” which channels ’80s synth-pop vibes à la New Order.

• music label: Hyperdub 2016

reviewed by buffalo fingers 06/2016