Album review: Thotcrime – Connection Anxiety

After gaining traction with their savage blend of grindcore and almost cyberkinetic synth-pop on 2022's D1G1T4L_DR1FT, Thotcrime are back with another dose of genre-mashing non-conformity. Connection Anxiety sees the transatlantic quartet take an introspective look at themselves and celebrate everything that makes them stand out from the crowd.

Early on, Behind The Cracks feels like the boss level of dance mat extreme, and you don’t know whether to bust your feet to a sweet power combo or headbang until your neck cracks. It’s an instant reminder that Thotcrime’s desire to bridge the worlds of experimental grindcore and rave knows no bounds.

We Hope Some Good May Come Of This is an abrasive minute-and-a-half of gritty riffs and visceral screams, before harmoniously switching into a fully electronic head-bop. Elsewhere, the title-track employs intricate layering of synths, pulsating rhythms and haunting vocals, creating a soundscape that draws you in for a nice little boogie before crunching riffs enter the game to transform it into a full mosh-a-thon.

'Is it wrong to try something new?' questions singer Hayley Elizabeth on the jubilant The Wrong Way. It’s a celebration of being different, and not conforming to the constructs that society throws at us, and in this case, the construct of genres. It almost feels like Reba Meyers from Code Orange has jumped on vocals here with the way they’re delivered, whilst a jaunty synth beat makes it an uplifting synthcore banger, blending genres with real poise.

And to answer that lyrical question: no, it’s not wrong to try something new. If this album is anything to go by, you should be encouraged to try it out. You never know, you might become a mega cybergrind stan in seconds.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Scene Queen, Code Orange, Rolo Tomassi

Connection Anxiety is released on August 16 via Prosthetic