Yeule‘s fourth studio album, Evangelic Girl is a Gun, is an ambitious sprawl across a sonic landscape that blends ’90s trip-hop chill with electroclash edges, synthwave pulses, and occasional emo-pop flourishes. Released in May 2025 via Ninja Tune, this record marks a pivot for the Singaporean artist (real name Nat Ćmiel), trading the glitchy, atmospheric dreamscapes of predecessors like Glitch Princess and Softscars for something more accessible—perhaps too much so. Produced with heavy hitters like A.G. Cook, Clams Casino, and Mura Masa, the album’s polish is undeniable, yet it often feels like a calculated bid for mainstream appeal, sacrificing depth for hooks.
Thematically, Yeule delves into post-human identity, vampiric commodification of the body, and ego death through fractured narratives of sex, violence, and digital nihilism. Opener “Tequila Coma” sets a moody tone with bluesy bass and wistful vocals, evoking Portishead‘s Dummy while ruminating on pixelated memories and sacrificial love. Tracks like “Saiko” incorporate subtle sound design—a gun reload click—amid shuffling rhythms, while “VV” nods to 2000s soft rock with its Ingrid Michaelson-esque melody. The apocalyptic melancholy shines in “What3vr,” where acid trips and morphine kisses underscore a narrator’s existential unraveling, blending literary romanticism with embodied self-destruction.
Strengths lie in Yeule‘s vocal versatility and thematic cohesion; they paint vivid dreamscapes of transformation, making the robo-person persona feel palpably human. However, repetition drags it down—many songs blur into a murky cool without memorable specificity, feeling tedious despite the brevity. Compared to the boundary-pushing Softscars, this is safer, more bubblegum-infused, but less compelling. Standouts like the singles carry the weight, growing on relistens, yet the album questions Yeule‘s artistic progression: is this evolution or dilution?
Overall, Evangelic Girl is a Gun is a swift, substantial listen that’s cool on the surface but lacks the haunting innovation of Yeule‘s past. It’s a solid pop excursion with dark undercurrents, best for fans craving trip-hop revivalism over experimental daring.