Ep. 169: Giallobrutalism w/ Ella Dorn

This week, Alexi is joined by music critic and columnist Ella Dorn to unpack her viral essay declaring Giallobrutalism as the defining visual language of mid-2020s pop, informed by the stylish delirium of Italian giallo cinema and a pervasive unease about surveillance and stardom. We discuss the aesthetic’s formal signatures—cool temperatures, split diopters, painterly tableaux, and more— as well as the rise of early-onset popstar histrionics, the existential glamour of centripetal girls in centrifugal settings, and the decade’s watershed fashion moments so far, from Miu Miu micro-minis to Sandy Liang mega-bows. We also challenge the default Y2K reading of modern pop aesthetics, arguing for a closer look at their 20th-century antecedents, and reflect on our shared past as stans of doomed K-pop girl groups. Links:“‘Giallobrutalism,’ or why everything looks like that” by Ella Dorn on Fairyland!Ella Dorn on TwitterFairyland! on InstagramK-Pop Music Video Analysis w/ Alexi One on Top of the Other (1969) dir. Lucio FulciA Lizard in a Woman’s Skin (1971) dir. Lucio Fulci“Music, Fashion, Film is Charli xcx at her subversive best” by Ella Dorn in The New StatesmanBalenciaga F/W 2024Film Noir and the Spaces of Modernity by Edward Dimendberg“The realities of being a pop star” by Charli xcx on charli’s substackEp. 162: Crayola CasualEp. 102: Just Dance w/ Lexee SmithNicole Kidman wearing Miu Miu S/S 2022 for Vanity Fair’s 2022 Hollywood Issue coverSandy Liang S/S 2024Our Aesthetic Categories: Zany, Cute, Interesting by Sianne Ngai“In Defense of the Leopard Print Midi Skirt” in Paper magazine (the original @leopardmidiskirt Instagram account is GONE omg)New Giallobrutalist canon entries we discuss: YENA (최예나) – “캐치 캐치 (Catch Catch)”, aespa 에스파 – “Switchblade (Feat. Ty Dolla $ign)”, Gracie Abrams – “Look at My Life”, ifeye (이프아이) – “r u ok?” , aespa エスパ – “KISS N TELL”Bang Jae Yeob LOONA/ODD EYE CIRCLE – “Sweet Crazy Love” (Official Music Video)LOONA/Kim Lip – “Eclipse” (Official Music Video)The iconic abandoned Brutalist building from every K-pop MVGhosts of My Life: Writings on Depression, Hauntology and Lost Futures by Mark FisherFederico Fellini: Painting in Film, Painting on Film by Hava Aldoubyno na - “honk!” (Official Music Video)no na - “superstitious” (Official Music Video)Elliot Shields on Instagram (creative consultant on Aespa’s “Kiss N Tell”) Magic by Jolin Tsai 蔡依林但是又何奈 by Louise Tsuei 崔苔菁 Rocket Girls 101 (火箭少女101) K-pop plagiarism overviewKiiiKiii on Instagram This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe