Coco & Clair Clair exalt delusional, demon glam rock on their debut "Sexy"

It’s 2013: Vine is in its prime, it has become socially acceptable to say the word “swag” in casual conversation, and deep in the dark corners of Twitter, Taylor Rose Nave and Claire Marie Toothil have begun to form a strong friendship that will lead to their project Coco & Clair Clair. While Coco & Clair Clair began releasing bops in 2017 on Awful Records in Atlanta, they didn’t blow up until the pandemic. Classics like “Sims 2” captured the lockdown mood, saying “I’m in my bedroom, playing Sims 2 / what about you?” The iconic 2017 single “Pretty” laid the groundwork for Coco & Clair Clair’s fan base, centering around their satirical dream-hyperpop, cloud rap genre. Their musical style is truly undefined, with the pair describing what they want their music to sound like as “demon glam rock” – and Sexy, their first debut album, is a perfect formation of this new genre.

Throughout their music, Coco & Clair Clair effortlessly shift between dreamy pop filled hooks and brazen rap verses, all while incorporating outlandish and unfiltered lyrics that have the energy of a middle school sleepover. Sexy nails this recipe, offering countless one-liners, an almost delusional sense of self confidence, satirical takes on pop culture today, and dreamy pop melodies. Incredibly, they’re able to pull off being self absorbed, weird, and a little condescending all at the same time, while still feeling like a lovable and charming friend. The opening track “Cherub” captures perfectly the irony of Claire’s childlike voice paired with vocals like “Fuck the NRA but I’ll blow your fuckin’ house out / With a gun, baby I don’t give a fuck, your lights out,” illustrating the clever dichotomy that they weave into their songwriting. The duo finds joy in making fun of pop culture trends and societal themes that engross media and news outlets. Sexy does this more than the pair ever has before: in about thirty-two minutes, they rip apart almost all of pop culture’s values. This is especially prevalent on the standout track “Popstar”: Backed by an infectious hyperpop hook, Coco & Clair Clair make fun of the egos and ridiculous lifestyles of pop stars today. They highlight the inflated self-obsession and fantasy world of internet stars with lyrics like “You’re disrespectful, you’re disrespectful / I don’t really care if I’m mental / You’re disrespectful, you’re disrespectful / Fuck you and all your friends, hoe.”

Coco & Clair Clair stick to the same hilariously overconfident one-liners, citing Britney Spears as one of their major influences and even repeating “It’s Britney, bitch” many times in “U + Me.” The soft cloud-like synth pads and soundcloud trap beats expected from the duo were on almost every track, carrying playful undertones of the Mario Kart soundtrack. The subtle childlike and whimsical background melodies remind the listeners not to take lyrics like “The only bread you pussies get is a yeast infection” too seriously, and add a carefree and simplistic energy to the album, emulating themes of the pop star lifestyle. The duo experiments a bit with some Tame Impala-like production styles on the ethereal “8AM,” showcasing a different side of the duo, with lyrics about not being able to get out of bed and struggling to find motivation, rather than boasting how hot they are. This was a refreshing change of pace that could have been integrated better into the project to offer a better sense of duality and depth. Regardless, after listening to Sexy you’ll feel sexy too, and have the confidence of an overhyped, millionaire pop star. What more could you need in this day and age?