Indie-poppers Playing To Vapors drop video for Switchblade.

One of the biggest criticisms that many people make about the pop genre as a whole is that of it seeming formulaic. Because there is a set of cornerstone pop techniques, many artists leverage these to make strong pop tracks that are effective but oddly scripted.

Cue Playing To Vapors, an indie-pop outfit that is making pop sound like it has a definitive formula. New track Switchblade, for example, is built on repeated instrumental measures and a concise, consistent beat — both of which makes the track feel like its following a set of predefined actions. It gives it a slightly artificial feel, but certainly not one that makes it any less enjoyable or memorable.

In fact, it could be argued that this formula for success makes the single all the better. While the instrumentation follows a tight path of progression and repetition, the vocals are granted the freedom to expand and flourish. This works particularly well as vocalist Lucas Harris has just the right vocal deliveries to offer up a sense of emotional empathy while also seeming cold and distant. It’s an unusual balancing act, but one that feels perfectly suited to the mechanical pop tones of the instrumentation.