Cumgirl8 – ‘The 8th Cumming’ album review: A collection of cyberfeminist chaos

Name: Cumgirl8 - The 8th Cumming
Rating: 4

Elle Palmer

Thu 3 October 2024 17:56, UK

Cumgirl8 - 'The 8th Cumming'

THE SKINNY: Cumgirl8 are one of those bands whose success may be hindered by the name they chose for themselves. Many listeners will hear their name and scoff or take one look at their internet-friendly and, accordingly, normie-repellant social media and write them off completely. They certainly won’t be topping charts or receiving mainstream radio airplay anytime soon, but, fortunately, that doesn’t seem to be their goal.

Rather, their goal on The 8th Cumming seems to be to create a glimmering, gothic cyberfeminist amalgamation of influences and feelings. They pull from punk and post-punk (the original wave), from new wave and synth-pop, and from everything in between. Their vocals pull from ESG, their soundscapes from Delta 5 and from The Slits, but their sound never feels derivative.

In fact, The 8th Cumming feels like an album that only the chaotic collective brain of Cumgirl8 could have concocted. It’s completely unpredictable, pushing into the desperation and despair that stems from dating and just existing in the modern world while also penning detailed accounts of the discomfort of UTIs and tales of car sex. Soundscapes veer between gloomy and glistening, creating a mood that can only be found in Cumgirl8’s discography.

It’s inimitable, both sonically and lyrically, paying homage to its predecessors without ever leaning too heavily on one influence, always pulling their sounds into the modern world and into the world of Cumgirl8. It’s not one for the faint of heart — listeners have to be willing to lean into repeated declarations of “FML”, details about diagnoses some might consider to be TMI, and grating sonic choices — but it’s certainly full of heart.

For fans of: Cranberry juice, car sex and confusion.

A concluding comment from Radiohead: “Karma police, arrest this band.”

The 8th Cumming track by track:

Release date: October 4th | Producer: Cumgirl8 | Label: 4AD

‘Karma Police’: ‘Karma Police’ is the only piece on The 8th Cumming named with traditional capitalisation, which might fool you into thinking it’s a cover of the Radiohead song of the same name. Far from it, the opening track is intrinsically Cumgirl8, a chaotic tale of mental masturbation and lost passports over a pulsing, glimmering soundscape. [4/5]

‘Ahhhh!hhhh! (I don’t wanna go)’: Cumgirl8 plunges into moodier territory with ‘Ahhhhhhhh! (I don’t wanna go)’, which evokes ESG-inspired squealing vocals to explore the trials and tribulations of being a decided homebody. “I don’t wanna go, I don’t wanna go,” the vocalist declares before falling into whispered, shrugged repetitions of “Lol”. Staying at home never sounded so good. [4/5]

‘Mercy’: Though they pull from their predecessors sonically, calling back to the sounds of old new wave and post-punk, Cumgirl8’s lyrics tend to push into modern-day living or even beyond. On ‘Mercy’, we find them “coming undone” in the world of 21st-century dating, longing for greater levels of commitment and trust beneath dense, layered vocals and instrumentation that mixes the old and the new. [4/5]

‘Hysteria!’: Whispered declarations of the word “nightmare” and a shimmery yet sinister synth line introduce ‘Hysteria!’, which feels primed for Halloween playlisting. The song provides a stark vocal change, as the delivery suddenly becomes nasal and unfamiliar, singing of sleepless nights and “windshield fucking.” It’s eerily sexy, in a way only Cumgirl8 could cultivate. [4/5]

‘UTI’: ‘UTI’ opens with a strange backwards vocal sample before falling into a more intense soundscape of pulsing drums and relentless synths. “UTI,” the vocalist repeats, “FML”, the relentlessness of the phrase and the instrumentation around it emphasises the discomfort of the title inspiration. It’s a concept that probably shouldn’t work for a song and one that will definitely turn some listeners off, but it’s proof that Cumgirl8 can turn anything into a banger. [3/5]

‘Simulation’: As if conscious that ‘uti’ might alienate some listeners, Cumgirl8 quickly follow it up with one of the softest offerings on The 8th Cumming, ‘Simulation’. It pairs shoegazing guitars with sweet vocals, bouncy new wave moments, and entrancing layering. “Living in a simulation,” a distant voice declares, “conversations with yourself”. [4/5]

‘Girls Don’t Try’: A killer bassline underscores every moment of ‘Girls Don’t Try’, which finds Cumgirl8 falling further into more mellow territory. “Would you want to? Do you mean it?” the vocalist asks, desperately asking for her lover to let her in. Once again, it’s a song that seems to flit between foreboding and glimmering sonically, always keeping you on edge. [4/5]

‘iBerry’: ‘iBerry’ feels just as simultaneously gothic and glamorous, pairing a pulsing beat with winding synths. But the effortless cool of the soundscape hides the insecurity in Cumgirl8’s lyrics, which find the band in despair in the modern world. “Why can’t I stop crying?” they ask. [4/5]

‘NY Winter’: ‘NY Winter’ takes its name from the process of making the album, which took place in the Big Apple in the coldest months of the year. The track itself isn’t one of the most interesting offerings on The 8th Cumming, but it’s another demonstration of Cumgirl8’s inimitable atmosphere-creation and harrowing vocals. [3/5]

‘Something New’: As hopeful as its name suggests, closer ‘Something New’ implores you to find time, to find space, to find that “we were right here all the time”. The song shakes off most of the gloomy, gothic feeling that bubbled beneath everything that came before it, focusing on uplifting lyrics, gentle guitar twangs, and a positive beat. A gorgeous conclusion. [4/5]