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Jun 30, 2016 Web Exclusive By Matt Conner

The early story on the Kaplan sisters, Piper and Skylar, focused primarily on their youth with occasional mention of their spacious synth pop. As teenage siblings, Puro Instinct made modest waves with 2011’s Headbangers in Ecstasy (with help from Ariel Pink). Years later, without the crutch of inexperience, the duo’s mission to replace vapid pop structures with something substantive comes up short—no matter how impressive their vision sounds.

“What we’re going for is pop music to not be about vanity and wealth, but still pop music nonetheless,” said Piper Kaplan about Autodrama, Puro Instinct’s first release in five years. Unfortunately, her diagnosis doesn’t give way to a cure. The elementary laments on “Peccavi” conjure a shrug at best. Lines like “Skeptics, eat shit” won’t help either (see “End of an Era”). The early Madonna mood of “Tell Me” is the album’s finest instrumental moment, but even this feels borrowed—girls in mom’s shoes, if you will. It’s an excuse that could work… if youth were still the story here. (www.puroinstinct.blogspot.com)

Author rating: 5/10