TEEN’s newest release Good Fruit is a cacophony of sounds, intricately blended to produce poppy, lo-fi goodness. This band of sisters from Brooklyn artfully marries several genres, from R&B to electro-pop with some psychedelic influences that gives Good Fruit an upbeat yet ethereal quality.
From a bass-heavy song like “Putney” that opens with a bluesy groove, to the closing track “Pretend” with its ballad-like piano, TEEN effortlessly transitions between sounds. Teeny Lieberson’s voice is delicate or smooth with a hint of soul. In some ways, she is reminiscent of legends like Nina Simone, Lauryn Hill, and Erykah Badu who she says influences her style. In Good Fruit, TEEN welds a mish-mash of different music without sacrificing their unique sound.
Despite its poppy tendencies, TEEN thoughtfully juxtaposes their sound with lyrics that are deeply philosophical. Their track “Only Water” captures the essence of being young and feeling invincible. Lieberson sings, “In youth, death does not hold proximity.”
Listen to this: when it’s late at night and you’re in your room, wanting to dance away some existential dread.
—Kristine Villanueva