Then I'll Be Happy is a collaborative extended play (EP) by the American musicians Glaive and Ericdoa. It was released by Interscope Records and Listen to the Kids on October 6, 2021. After becoming leaders of both the hyperpop and digicore genres, the frequent collaborators recorded the EP in a North Carolina Airbnb and a studio. The EP experiments with sounds beyond the hyperpop genre that "defy simple classification" with lyrics that are written as angsty aphorisms. The EP was produced by Whethan with contributions from Ericdoa, Cashheart, FortuneSwan, Glasear, Kidicarus, Kimj, Lunamatic, Nick Mira, Mochila, and Tim Randolph. Then I'll Be Happy was promoted with two singles and the Then I'll Be Happy Tour across North America. It received mixed reviews from critics, citing the lack of chemistry between the duo.
| Then I'll Be Happy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| EP by | ||||
| Released | October 6, 2021 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Length | 15:22 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Producer | ||||
| Glaive chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Ericdoa chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Then I'll Be Happy | ||||
| ||||
Background and recording
editGlaive and Ericdoa are both considered rising stars in the digicore genre;[1] The Fader's Alex Robert Ross called Glaive "the most promising kid in pop music"[2] and Sophie Leigh Walker of The Line of Best Fit called Ericdoa a digicore pioneer.[3] They are also best friends[4] and frequent collaborators.[5] They recorded part of Then I'll Be Happy in a North Carolina Airbnb in January 2021,[1] as well as a studio.[4][6] The lead single "Cloak n Dagger" was recorded in one day in the Airbnb and was released to celebrate Glaive's 16th birthday.[7]
Composition
editMano Sundaresan from Pitchfork believed the EP "rarely sounds like hyperpop" and said the middle stretch of the EP sounds like "paint-by-numbers pop songs". He further wrote that "the guitars swing into EDM drops and the drum patterns switch up almost obsessively."[1] Maxamillion Polo of Ones to Watch wrote that while the EP "will likely fall into the popular lexicon that is "hyperpop,"" it sees the artists "experimenting with a host of adventurous, wide-ranging sonic textures that defy simple classification."[8] While Glaive typically prefers Midwest emo guitars mixed with energetic electronic production, Ericdoa usually favors dreamy synths and sharp hip hop beats.[9] As singers, they share a similar emotional tone and trembling vocals,[9] as well as a "nasally shout".[1] The duo writes in angsty aphorisms according to Sundaresan.[1]
The opening track is "Naturale", a track which showcases Glaive's and Ericdoa's chemistry as well as how they handle life after gaining fame.[1] The following "Mental Anguish" sees the duo harmonizing the song's title during its hook, which was compared to moments from Ericdoa's album COA (2020).[1] "Heather" fits well with the "driving, pixelated soundscape that defines digicore" according to Polo.[8] A sonic departure for the duo, "Pretending" is a disco-inspired track[8] that concludes with a "bizarre" fade out.[1] Sundaresan said the track sounds like "Big Time Rush karaoke."[1] "Physs" is followed by "Handle Me".[4][6] Sundaresan described the penultimate "Fuck This Town" as containing "darker, dancier rhythms" and a "perfectly dejected chorus mixed so that it flashes like strobe lights over the drums."[1] Leor Galil of Chicago Reader described it as a "skewed-pop anthem".[9] The final track "Cloak n Dagger" is about removing a toxic person from your life.[7] Writing for Pitchfork, Alphonse Pierre called it a "two-sided lovesick anthem".[10] Writing about the previous two songs, Sundaresan said they are "thoughtful genre explorations that subvert norms instead of succumbing to them."[1]
Release and reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Pitchfork | 5.5/10[1] |
Then I'll Be Happy's lead single "Cloak n Dagger" was released alongside its music video on January 21, 2021.[7] It was followed by "Fuck This Town" and its music video on July 9, 2021.[11] The EP was released by Interscope Records and Listen to the Kids on October 6, 2021.[4][6][9] Glaive and Ericdoa embarked on the Then I'll Be Happy Tour across North America with support from Prentiss, Aldn, Underscores, and Midwxst throughout October and November 2021.[12]
Writing for Pitchfork, Sundaresan said that Then I'll Be Happy is "frustratingly safe and directionless" and that while Glaive and Ericdoa are captivating solo artists, they "aren't yet distinct enough to complement each other in interesting ways."[1] Of the Chicago Reader, Galil believed the duo does not "play off each other as much as you might hope" and though they are leaders of the hyperpop movement, "they sometimes fall short of that movement's kaleidoscopic energy."[9] In a positive review for Ones to Watch, Polo thought the EP "brilliantly avoids the pitfalls of being hailed as genre leaders" and the duo "cement their place not just in the world of hyperpop but music at large."[8] Critics named "Cloak n Dagger" and "Fuck This Town" as standout tracks.[1][9]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Naturale" |
| 1:15 | |
| 2. | "Mental Anguish" |
|
| 1:54 |
| 3. | "Heather" |
|
| 1:51 |
| 4. | "Pretending" |
|
| 1:38 |
| 5. | "Physs" |
|
| 2:27 |
| 6. | "Handle Me" |
|
| 2:13 |
| 7. | "Cloak n Dagger" |
|
| 2:09 |
| 8. | "Fuck This Town" |
|
| 1:55 |
| Total length: | 15:22 | |||
Notes
- All tracks are stylized in lowercase.
Personnel
editRelease history
edit| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | October 6, 2021 |
|
[14] |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Sundaresan, Mano (October 12, 2021). "glaive / ericdoa: then i'll be happy EP Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ Maicki, Salvatore; Darville, Jordan; Renshaw, David; Ross, Alex Robert; Sajae, Elder (June 10, 2021). "10 songs you need in your life this week". The Fader. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- ^ Walker, Sophie Leigh (November 2, 2021). "Ericdoa is on the rise". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Kenneally, Cerys (October 6, 2021). "glaive and ericdoa release collaborative EP then i'll be happy". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Kenneally, Cerys (November 12, 2021). "Ericdoa delivers new track "Strangers"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c Ackroyd, Stephen (October 6, 2021). "glaive and ericdoa have shared their new collaborative EP 'then i'll be happy'". Dork. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c Curto, Justin (January 22, 2021). "Hyperpop Prince glaive Celebrates His Sweet 16 With a Delectable FU Alongside ericdoa". Vulture. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Polo, Maxamillion (October 7, 2021). "glaive and ericdoa Continue to Break the Mold on 'then I'll be happy'". Ones to Watch. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Galil, Leor (October 25, 2021). "Hyperpop phenoms Glaive and ericdoa unite on then i'll be happy". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- ^ Pierre, Alphonse (January 26, 2021). "The Ones: Glaive and ericdoa's "Cloak n Dagger"". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- ^ Kenneally, Cerys (July 9, 2021). "glaive and ericdoa preview collaborative EP with new outing "fuck this town"". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- ^ Ash Gutierrez [@glaive] (2021-09-08). "THEN ILL BE HAPPY TOUR Presale tomorrow @ 10am local time w/ password Pretending. General onsale Friday 💃" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 2024-12-02. Retrieved 2024-12-02 – via Twitter.
- ^ "then i'll be happy / Glaive". Tidal. October 6, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "then i'll be happy - Album by glaive & ericdoa". Apple Music (US). Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2024.