“Drug Dealer!” by Salads is the perfect cross between Machine Gun Kelly and The 1975. If you want the feel of a pop-punk song with the crisp, creative production of an electronic track, you couldn’t do better for yourself than adding this one to your playlist. It’s catchy, angsty, and overall infectious.
The song kicks off with some grungy power chords, soon topped by a voice crying, “Took two pills, now I’m f*cking paranoid.” Drums crash into the mix quite suddenly, setting the Travis Barker-esque groove into motion. Autotune floods the vocal track, imbuing the track with this hyper-pop atmosphere. Harmonies layer in with the lead vocal, vivifying the chord structures. Each aspect of the verse sends the listener’s ear in a different direction. There is no single effect, sound, or instrument that controls the perceived genre. Everything, despite feeling familiar in its own right, furthers the interest and uniqueness of the sound.
The chorus comes along with this undeniable fervor. The melody is repetitive and anthemic. Each line rhymes so well it’s difficult to tell the lyrics apart (in an effortlessly cool kind of way). It’s the kind of chorus you’d breathlessly scream along to at a concert or in a club–no matter how many times it came along. It’s an expertly crafted hook, made to feel fresh and invigorating every time.
Be sure to give “Drug Dealer!” a listen, especially if you’re here for the new pop-punk revival. In that respect, Salads is doubtlessly carrying their weight.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
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