Hard pop. Loose pop. Alt pop. Cute pop. Slacker pop. Indie punk. Awk-pop. Frowncore. Selfie-wave. Existential bop. Pick your favorite made-up genre — UK quartet Wiiince practically dares you to on their debut full-length Puce.

The record traces the uneasy comedy of modern disconnection: characters half-alive inside screens, routines, and self-consciousness, trying to feel something real. Unafraid to show their vulnerability (and armed with a sharp sense of self-deprecating humor), Wiiince turn awkward honesty into indie-punk bangers (Dry Biro, Volunteers) and a heap of offbeat alt-pop gold.

Wiiince are a slightly quirky, deeply sympathetic bunch. And while I wish Puce had a vinyl pressing (for now it’s streaming only), the band makes up for it with a sticker album/lyric zine inspired by the ’90s Merlin Premier League football books — 16 full-color A5 pages of the same Wiiince charm that fuels their debut album.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp