Switcheroo
Continuous movement switches (here's Gelli Haha's Switcheroo)
Debut album for this American artist, stage name of Angel Abaya, born and raised away from the spotlight, in Boise (Idaho). Before arriving at the solo release, she played in various bands as a teenager and as a very young girl, she was also part of a dance company, and it is likely that it was during that period that she developed a passion for movement and dance music. Later, she moved to Los Angeles, attracted by the vibrant art scene and the possibility of exploring different genres. Along the way she worked as a freelance writer, sometimes writing about music. These experiences helped shape her enterprising spirit and, gradually, gave life to Gelli Haha, a collaborative musical project co-launched with producer and co-writer Sean Guerin (of De Lux). The two decided to create something together because of their mutual passion for eccentric pop and the use of vintage instruments. The sound universe of the debut album includes, in fact, numerous instruments and pedals: an Eventide Harmonizer, an MXR Pitch Transposer and various Electrix effects. The title of the album Switcheroo, released in June 2025 for Innovative Leisure, fully reflects the mood of the entire collection: songs that rapidly change situations, rhythms and atmospheres, but that maintain a playful and childish and sometimes even disturbing soul, as only certain childhood memories can be. It is no coincidence that the opening track is titled Funny Music: it immediately starts with an engaging, carefree and cheerful groove, enriched by children's voices and sounds that recall 80s arcade video games. Even the cover is in perfect harmony with the musical content: the artist's face is painted with primary and intense colors, almost clownish, but with those red eyes that suggest that not everything is probably in its place. One of the most interesting pieces is Spit, a sort of “American Gioca Jouer”: it advances on synths and pounding beats, while the text punctuates isolated words, perhaps meaningless, thrown simply to go along with the rhythm, which becomes more and more pressing and overwhelming. It is therefore an excellent debut album, certainly not perfect – there are some rough ‘edges’ – but which, at the end of listening, leaves the desire to discover more, to go to the next track. Among the most intense moments, in addition to the already mentioned singles, there is Gelliverse: an ultra-dance track composed of overlapping and interconnected tracks, which well describe this universe of Gelli – a “Gellisphere” in which you enter mainly to dance, forget the World for 34 minutes and try to keep your feet as little anchored to the ground as possible. Enjoy listening.
by Ron Rocket
Tracks
1 - Funny Music - 03:21
2 - Spit - 03:19
3 - Normalize - 03:15
4 - Bounce House - 03:32
5 - Piss Artist - 03:33
6 - Tiramisu - 03:00
7 - Gelliverse - 03:01
8 - Dynamite - 03:42
9 - Johnny - 03:23
10 - Pluto is not a planet it's a restaurant - 04:31