STRFKR Reptilians review

On their second full-length album, Reptilians (out on March 8th on Polyvinyl), Starfucker makes a solid attempt to gain notoriety for something other than their radio-unfriendly handle, but they mostly stay within familiar synth-heavy, dance-pop territory. First single “Julius” stands out for its glittery sound effects and infinitely hummable melody, while tracks like “Bury Us Alive” and “Astoria” are readymade for Friday nights at the hipster disco. Underneath all those fun little bleeps and boops, the lyrics are actually kind of depressing. The chorus of “Millions”—“I love to see you crying, so happy when you’re sad”—isn’t exactly the carefree, happy sentiment you want to hear while busting a move. But you can’t help rooting for guys who are willing to admit how much their name sucks, so even if Reptilians often leans too far toward the melancholy, it still makes a good soundtrack for a dance party. [Eliza Thompson]