So Pretend is an album with pop at its heart, and something less definable in its veins. On the surface, the shimmering melodies and pitch perfect harmonies dominate, but listen closer and the album’s darker undercurrents snap sharply into focus. Navigating themes of escapism and disillusionment, So Pretend quells the panic with tender pop and just a dash of electro. With lyrics and instrumentation often at odds with each other, So Pretend is a series of beguiling contradictions that nonetheless seem to belong together.