Lexie Liu's "Teenage Ramble" is the Perfect Pop Girl Album

BY: CARESSE LIANG / STAFF WRITER

Liu, in the center, surrounded by playground items in the snow. (PHOTO CREDIT: CRAVE MAGAZINE.)

The vibrant Chinese-American pop artist, Lexie Liu, has officially released her new EP, Teenage Ramble, on Oct. 16. This iconic lineup consists of eight high-energy, deep songs that represent her childhood years, building off the base she created for the past eight years.

This extended play is Liu’s break-in with electro-pop, containing synths, aggressive beats, and the stylistic choice of incorporating 2000s-inspired beats. After the release of her chart-breaking album, The Happy Star, she “fell into a long creative block,” and “let the little emotional fragments turn into music.” 

Born and raised in China, she grew up listening to iconic 2000s pop icons like Britney Spears and Lady Gaga; those influences can be traced back to Teenage Ramble, from Liu’s outfit styling to the interlapping vocals in the songs.

This cross between The Happy Star and Teenage Ramble only has one stark difference: this is Liu’s first full-English release. For the first time, this EP only features English lyrics—a divergence away from her usage of both Chinese and Spanish vocals in previous albums. 

Starting off strong with the opener, “ADRENALINE,” she develops the conceited-type of teenage attitude with lyrics such as: 

“Adrenaline kicked in like Nirvana drums/Ah-la-la-la-la/I could be your girlfriеnd when I'm feeling dumb.” 

I personally think that this song is not the best out of the line-up, but as an opener, it’s amazing.

It serves as a great starter down the line of aggressive, tough feminist lyrics that are explicit in this EP—and an excellent precursor to the next track, “TEENAGE RAMBLE.”

Right off the bat, this song exudes that 2000s type of rock track that runs through my veins. The lyrics that stuck out to me were:

 “I admit it, I admit it/You're my new obsession, new obsession.” This song is a clear representation of teenage rebellion through a fast-paced, catchy rhythm.

Liu, dressed in a striped turtle-neck. (PHOTO CREDIT: CRAVE MAGAZINE.)

Liu continues to ramble through into the next song, “FFFFF,” in which her relationship is rocky and testy. With lyrics like, “No, I don't even care, care, care, care, care/All I need is you, you, you, you, you,” her rebellious nature bursts through this song, through a heavy synth and clear autotune. 

Matching with the theme of the song, her lyrics are messy and repetitive, showing her disregard for wherever this relationship is heading.

I believe that these two songs definitely represent the attitude she wants to present to herself, and it matches the breakthrough against her musical block. These first few songs are good, but I think I will skip them in the future.

A long overdue break from the rough synth, Liu dives into a calmer instrumental with mesmerizing vocals with “DEEPER & DEEPER.” At first listen, I consider this one of my favorite songs in the list; her voice reminds me of a siren from the deep sea. I highly recommend this one for those solemn nights.

Next up is my personal favorite out of all eight songs, “X.” This song is the epitome of what Liu’s artistry is about; this fast-paced, synth-pop song is a definite confidence booster for all “the girls and gays that like [her].” 

Liu, dressed in a bikini top and topless sleeves, surrounded by silver stars. (PHOTO CREDIT: @/lexliu/X)

This song has been looped non-stop for the past few days, and I recommend this highly for listeners who enjoy Charli XCX, PinkPantheress, and Yves! Liu has said she wants to collaborate with Yves—which would be great with what she has put out so far.

However, past this amazing line-up, Liu falls off with the song, “POP GIRL.” This song uses too much autotune and a weird combination of what I consider to be commercial music. Disregarding this awful instrumental, the lyrics bring out the inner confidence that most feminine people need—like a pop girl.

Ending off with songs, “LIKE U,” and “CIGARETTE–DEMO,” Liu’s dramatic use of repetition, pace, and the aforementioned synthesizer makes this EP shine like a star. As a long-time fan of Liu, I personally recommend this for anyone who enjoys rough club music—or wants to catch a vibe. 

I think I have rambled enough for this EP; for this one, I would like to rate it an 8.2/10, for the diversity in songs and lyrics, and the brilliant creativity from Lexie Liu.