Single Review: Blood and Guts

Ushering in the “villain era” of Kiwi hyperpop artist Boy Virgo, Blood and Guts is a messy, brutal, and endlessly exciting new single, released in collaboration with Old Pup. It’s a defining statement for Boy Virgo’s promising upcoming EP, showing the artist in a more vulnerable light than previous releases, as he makes an effort to delve into the personal whilst maintaining his trademark sound.

For a song of this genre, the lyrics in Blood and Guts are uniquely clear, and it’s to the song’s credit. Swearing in the opening line, Boy Virgo’s rage is palatable. He sings of a relationship which ended so badly he wants the other person dead, fantasising about violence against them in equally gorey and romantic fashion. It’s reminiscent of hyperpop Halloween staples, such as Slayyyter and Laura Les.

The song is highly experimental in structure. Each section comes as a surprise, but Boy Virgo and Old Pup pull off the delicate balance of allowing every part to still feel familiar and welcome. Every production element has been carefully polished, from the affected vocals to the heavy bass and buzzing beats. 

Put simply, Blood and Guts is the strongest example of Aotearoa’s hyperpop scene I’ve heard in years. It’s both a love letter to PC music and a pivotal look into the character of Boy Virgo, who I cannot wait to hear more from with his upcoming projects.