Label: RCA
Released: 15th August 2025
Joey Valence & Brae aren’t trying to play it cool: they’re jumping in with both feet, high energy and zero filter. ‘HYPERYOUTH’, their second full-length, is a technicolour whirlwind of beats, bars and brain-melting references. It’s gloriously unserious and seriously underrated.
From the get-go, ‘HYPERMOUTH’ throws you straight into the bounce-house. It’s silly, it’s snappy, it’s got the energy of a fizzy drink spilt on a sampler. ‘BUST DOWN’ follows suit, all bratty bravado and tongue-in-cheek demands. “This DJ sucks, can you play some Gaga?” they deadpan, with zero chill.
Yes, the Beastie Boys comparisons are at times obvious – ‘GIVE IT TO ME’ pretty much dares you not to make them – but there’s far more going on here. ‘IS THIS LOVE’ leans into a more UK-indebted sound, channelling the conversational flow and emotional candour of The Streets. Meanwhile, ‘PARTY’S OVER’ and ‘LIVE RIGHT’ tap into that murky mix of nostalgia and anxiety. “As long as I’ve got my friends,” they confess on the latter, and suddenly, all the noise feels incredibly human.
The collaborations are smart and well-matched. Rebecca Black adds a glossy twist to ‘SEE U DANCE’, easing the duo’s rowdy energy into something smoother. JPEGMAFIA crashes through ‘WASSUP’ with full force, elevating it into one of the album’s standout moments.
Elsewhere, ‘THE PARTY SONG’ is a delirious club-night parody so infectious it might actually start a mosh pit at a kids’ birthday. It’s absurd, ridiculous and fully committed – much like the record as a whole.
Just when it seems like things might spiral off course, they shift gears. Tracks like ‘HAVE TO CRY’ and ‘MYSELF’ show a more reflective side, dealing with doubt and self-image without losing momentum. Then ‘DISCO TOMORROW’ closes things out with a rallying cry. “You call it luck, I call it hard work and destiny,” they declare. It’s the perfect sign-off from a group determined to be taken on their own terms.
‘HYPERYOUTH’ doesn’t ask for your attention, it demands it, blasts airhorns in your face, then hits you with a surprisingly heartfelt monologue about growing up. Packed with personality and powered by invention, it never slows down, never runs dry. In a world full of self-conscious cool, Joey Valence & Brae are having actual fun, and it’s wonderful.
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