Review
The Los Angeles trio Automatic—Izzy Glaudini, Halle Saxon, and Lola Dompé—return with "Is It Now?" in 2025, a synth-punk record that's equal parts dance floor energy and biting social critique. Producer Loren Humphrey helps the band sharpen their raw analog sound into something that feels urgent and alive, with trippy synth work and pulsating layers that refuse to be ignored. The title track "Is It Now?" delivers playful hooks alongside energetic riffs, proving the band knows how to balance experimental textures with grooves that actually make you move.
What sets this record apart is its refusal to wallow—themes of capitalism's grip and societal constraints get filtered through dark humor and defiant optimism rather than doom and gloom. The punk-infused vocals keep things lively even when the tempo dips into more languid territory, and the whole package feels refreshingly original in a scene stuffed with copycats. Automatic have carved out their own identity here, blending post-punk grit with polished synthpop in a way that feels both confident and necessary. - Astrid
