by Alli Dempsey (@alliidempsey)
fantasy of a broken heart heralds their newest EP Chaos Practitioner as “the best stuff we’ve ever made,” which is a bold, yet exciting claim for a band who put out one of the most innovative debut albums of 2024. The Brooklyn-based art pop act has catapulted past their native borough in the past year following the release of Feats of Engineering through starry-eyed theatrical rhythms, fearless whimsy, and the unbreakable potential of collaboration and friendship. These were the superpowers that championed the success of their first full-length and the continuous threads that expand their vibrant universe on this follow-up.
Chaos Practitioner is brief yet precise, a kaleidoscopic assessment on what happens when the battles you wage are internal. First single “We Confront the Demon in Mysterious Ways” is the centerpiece of this, as vocalists Al Nardo and Bailey Wollowitz exchange sentiments of uncertainty and hurt on the existentialist pop jaunt. It’s the sprawling story of two damaged lovers that are too aware of their toxic cycle, pushing each other away through their ill-fated attempts at showing affection. “Does it feel good when I leave you on the line?” Wollowitz asks smugly over hazy, frayed pops of synth. “Does it feel good when you hurt me back?” is one of their follow-up rhetorical questions, the scathe oozing from their voice like a sharp, pointed sword. The honesty and analysis that drives the songs on Chaos Practitioner can be jarring and, at times, uncomfortable, but there’s a healing power weaved within the EP’s bouncy and optimistic sound, making these moments of internal confrontation the next steps towards enlightenment. We really do confront the demons in mysterious ways, but acknowledging that is a part of how we slay them.
Labelling the slick, glittery 80s sound that runs rampant throughout Chaos Practitioner as “video game music” feels like a lazy cop-out, but you truly do get that feeling of soaring through vast 8-bit worlds to victory when listening to the snappy, speedy tracking of “Passion Clouds” or the triumphant, retro lush of “Victory Path.” The latter includes an interpolation of “La Vie En Rose” doused in vocalizer effects, followed by the gentle pickings of a harp. These songs further bridge the rarely-explored gap between early 2020s homegrown bedroom pop and late noughties baroque alternative à la Elephant 6, a crossover that fantasy of a broken heart has not only ushered in, but has quickly championed. Fourth track “Star Inside the Earth” has a midi-esque backing track but still remains texturally blissful, the duo’s cries reading as mute whispers amongst the super-charged blips of sound. The high-paced song is a barrier-breaking adventure, as it feels like fantasy has exuberantly crossed a threshold to make their bold, fanciful tones more otherworldly. It’s because of this experimentation that the EP has absolutely no fat or filler. Everything is in the moment, immersing you in the raw feeling and refusing to let you go for even a millisecond.
Several returning pals and collaborators, as well as new members of the fantasy of a broken heart cinematic universe, make appearances throughout the EP. Making her first studio appearance is keyboardist Kelsea Feder, who currently plays in the live band, and the EP was mixed by This is Lorelei maestro and longtime friend of the band Nate Amos. Chaos Practitioner's third track “Have a Nice Time Life” features Brutus VIII–the anarchic, satirical project of Slow Hollows member Jackson Katz–providing a more jangly, indie approach to the project’s halfway point. Jackson’s stark presence and grave drawls contrast Nardo and Wollowitz’s usual musings and whispers, adding a dimension that makes the song seductive and fun. He pierces the middle of the song with a battle yell, but the sudden interruption that it brings is not unwelcome or unfitting. Instead, it draws a burst of energy that charges the latter half of the EP, allowing it to power through instead of fizzling down. Even though you can’t hear too much of Nick Rattigan on the Current Joys-backed track “Road Song,” he makes his presence known through the song’s subtle folk motifs that ring similar to his latest album East My Love. These featured collaborators feel well-thought out and vetted, but their trademark sounds blend seamlessly with those of fantasy’s, providing a worthwhile, textural depth.
“Welcome to the fantasy of a broken heart!” Wollowitz exclaimed on Feats of Engineering’s second track “AFV,” a fitting mission statement for the debut. The full-length gave us a no-holds-barred introduction of the project, radiating and massive in its execution. Chaos Practitioner is the ideal follow-up to an album of that size. We have moved past the warm welcome and have reached the inner depths of fantasy’s dreams, struggles, and fears. It’s fruitful in its soul-bearing, especially for a six-song EP that rings in at just about 20 minutes. The pleasurable things aren’t always good for us, and Chaos Practitioner not only accepts that, but embraces it and makes it a core part of its overarching message. To follow up on the band’s claim that it’s the best stuff they’ve made–it’s not a farfetched assertion. The EP sees fantasy at their most concentrated, a promising and ever-expanding next step in what is sure to be a continuously triumphant musical career.