Album by ericdoa

On the surface, DOA is pure momentum. Pop, dance music, hip-hop, electronic music, and flashes of alternative rock collide around huge beats and hooks that arrive one after another. There are moments that feel tailor-made for clubs or summer playlists.

But underneath all that energy, DOA is basically an album about being really bad at love.

Again and again, these songs return to failed relationships, self-destructive impulses, depression, jealousy, and that particularly frustrating experience of knowing something is bad for you while also knowing you’d probably go back if given the chance.

“The Cake Is a Lie” immediately establishes that tension. Built around infectious melodies, it explores the false promises we tell ourselves, whether that’s believing toxic relationships will somehow work out differently this time or convincing ourselves happiness is waiting just around the corner. It’s remarkably introspective for something this catchy.

“Danceinwithsomebawdy” feels like a genuine dance-floor anthem, yet underneath sits another story of betrayal and heartbreak. That contradiction becomes one of the album’s defining strengths. The brighter the music becomes, the heavier the emotional baggage often feels.

“Bigassbearman” slows things down without losing the groove. There’s a real smoothness to the production, while the lyrics acknowledge a relationship where neither person is innocent and neither seems quite ready to walk away.

“Kickstand” provides a welcome burst of swagger. The spring-loaded synth line gives the track a restless energy that makes it feel almost cathartic after several emotionally heavy songs. “Arm and a Leg” perfectly captures the album’s push-and-pull. The guitars nudge the song toward alternative rock while the beat keeps it rooted in dance-pop.

“lastjune” begins with an intimate R&B vibe before exploding into distorted electronics, mirroring someone who intellectually knows it’s time to move on but emotionally can’t let go.

“Imcoolimgoodimstraight” may have one of the album’s most irresistible grooves, yet it feels strangely anxious. While everyone else seems to be dancing, the narrator is already imagining how things will eventually fall apart. “Crisis Actor” feels like the emotional comedown. The energy fades, leaving behind a more direct confrontations with depression.

“Sweet Tooth” closes the record by suggesting maybe nothing has really changed. It sounds almost optimistic, like there could be someone new waiting at the end of all this romantic wreckage. But there’s something familiar happening too.

Maybe this is just the beginning of the cycle again.

That’s what makes the candy imagery work so well. You know too much sugar is bad for you. You know how this ends. But at the beginning, it tastes really good.

That’s DOA.

It’s an album full of huge pop hooks, club-ready beats, and undeniable energy made by someone who seems perfectly capable of recognizing all the terrible decisions being made in these relationships.

Unfortunately, recognizing the pattern and breaking it are two very different things.

Verdict: Solid

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