Local Review: future.exboyfriend – Semi Pro

future.exboyfriend
Semi Pro
Self-Released
Street: 07.19
future.exboyfriend = (Beach House + The Flaming Lips) x Sure Sure 

Meet your new favorite femme fatale: future.exboyfriend’s “5’9” little semi-pro heartbreaker,” star of the band’s latest EP release, Semi Pro. She’s not like other (Nelly Furtado and Hall & Oates) “Maneaters”—she’s worse! She wears Doc Martens, she matches her hair color to her septum ring, she fights with her mother and she says things like “the difference between Lexapro and Prozac is coming!” She is an icon!

Leading the EP is the eponymous track “Semi Pro,” and in it, frontman Tyler Harris describes this modern-era maneater in his signature layered, dry tones: “I swear the devil made her / Narcissist manipulator / Love me, fuck me, see you later.” Don’t mistake this, however, for a diss track; “Semi Pro” is driven by a funky bassline and layered-in, full-band chants that make it a lot of fun. This track, a little bit anthem and little bit attack, establishes the goals of Semi Pro: smart, whipping lyricism against groovy, dance-forward electro-pop beats

What follows next are three songs that track the emotional stages of a toxic breakup. “Forget,” “Ego,” and “Stuck” tell the story of the aftermath of the heartbreaker. “Forget” is swirly and bright, heady in the feeling of memories numbing and slipping away; it is stage one of the breakup, wherein many substances are consumed and bad choices are made in order to forget—to “make it so I don’t give a fuck about you / So I can forget.” The jaunty instrumentation on “Forget” supports the psychedelic headiness of this track, feeling at once distant and urgent.

The next stage of the breakup lies in the spiteful and wry “Ego,” my favorite from Semi Pro. “Ego” is powerful and sexy and dark in delicious ways; heavy breathing undercuts the beat in the intro, which is irresistibly danceable. This is a club track—or an NCMO at a makeout point track, your choice—that is as vengeful as it is seductive. Harris sings lyrics like, “You said your friends are placing bets / How long you’d last before you undress” and “You left your shirt in the backseat of my car / I wonder if your boyfriend knows” in a mix between a whine and a moan that I honestly think I might be addicted to. The egotistical, feeling-yourself stage of a breakup is always the best part, right? 

Finally, “Stuck” is melancholic and repetitive, mirroring one’s brokenhearted resolve during a breakup. Featuring background vocals by Clarisse Austin, “Stuck” uses a mantra-like chorus: “I won’t let you back in my heart / Just so we can be stuck in the middle again.” It is the most atmospheric of tracks from Semi Pro, utilizing distortions and disparate layers of sound, including a repeated monotone “Yes” and “Right,” as one might when stuck in a long and one-sided conversation. As with future.exboyfriend’s previous releases, Harris’s solo dreamy and experimental Party in a Lonely Head (2020) and last year’s lo-fi FXB, Semi Pro embodies the bold spirit of SLC’s DIY indie-pop scene. 

Previously part of Mojave Nomads and Ugly Boys, Harris’s unique and compelling vocals in tandem with his developing and intricate production style have always marked his work as particularly standout projects, and this EP is no different. With bassist Isaac Paul, drummer Joshua Arina and new band member Ian Kirby, Semi Pro proves to be one of Harris’s and future.exboyfriend’s most energetic projects to date. It’s no surprise that this album release coincides with the band’s summer tour with Los Angeles duo The Palms. Semi Pro’s catchy lyrics and modern-disco vibes feel geared towards live performance; follow them on Instagram at @future.exboyfriend for tour dates and more. –Libby Leonard

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