KiiiKiii Travels Back to the 2010s Through “Pop Off Pop Off”
Photo: KiiiKiii Official X
Bring out the shutter shades because KiiiKiii’s latest title track pays homage to the early 2010s. The track “Pop Off Pop Off,” which leads their WhyKiiiKiii EP, goes a step further from the group’s previous Y2K-inspired songs. With a focus on electronic pop, “Pop Off Pop Off” and the rest of WhyKiiiKiii may sound surreal to those who remember the 2010s like it was yesterday—pandemic notwithstanding, it truly does feel like a moment ago. WhyKiiiKiii delivers an energetic soundtrack for a party-filled summer vacation.
TRACKLIST:
“Ever2Late!”
“Hey Hi”
“Pop Off Pop Off”
“SWEET SOUR”
“Candy Pink Magic Hole Flip Phone”
“Blue Hour”
The Pre-Release: “Candy Pink Magic Hole Flip Phone”
Like many of KiiiKiii’s past tracks, “Candy Pink Magic Hole Flip Phone” borrows its aesthetic and sound from the 2000s. The song comes off hypnotic and carefree with its hyperpop instrumental. “Candy Pink Magic Hole Flip Phone” contains, what one might suspect, a flip phone running on low battery. This doesn’t bother KiiiKiii, however. They will party with no worries and still score social media views.
The song’s track video uses a stop-motion style. Perhaps KiiiKiii’s team used this technique to capture the “low quality” feeling of a phone close to complete depletion. KiiiKiii also takes the “post it in low pixels” lyric to another level by using perler bead creations, which look like 2D pixel sprites coming to life, as decorative pieces.
The Title Track: “Pop Off Pop Off”
Though Kesha’s “TiK ToK” turned 17 this month, songs like that still exist: KiiiKiii’s “Pop Off Pop Off” brings back the sounds of that era. KiiiKiii seeks the ultimate summer experience through this electric synth-pop track, which pulses with a carefree, party-ready atmosphere. “Flip flop, party’s up / So hot, it just might burn / Push me till it’s popping off,” KiiiKiii sings in the chorus.
The music video is also full of nostalgia with its fashion trends and editing style. Aspects like the Frutiger Aero media elements, shutter shades, the moustache trend, and Union Jack clothing all feel too recent to truly feel old, but time passes so quickly. Groups doing 2010s throwback songs are starting to make this 2000s kid feel ancient. Nevertheless, KiiiKiii’s “Pop Off Pop Off” captures that time period seamlessly, as if they grabbed the song off an old MP3 player. “Pop Off Pop Off” also adds Italy to the list of places KiiiKiii has visited to shoot their music videos, resulting in visually striking footage. One scene in particular sees the group dance on Sicily's Scala dei Turchi, a giant white rock cliff next to the sea.
KiiiKiii’s first foray in 2010s-inspired music and concepts might shock late Millennial and early Gen Z listeners who are not yet used to seeing their youth labelled as “vintage.” Many earlier Millennials have had time to adjust during past surges of the Y2K concept, such as with NewJeans, and 2010s concepts are now slowly seeping in. Regardless of the decade that KiiiKiii tackles next, be it the 1990s, 2000s, or 2010s, they will bring their own fun twist.