Release Date: 13 February 2026
Song Count: 10
Duration: 32 minutes, 4 seconds
Rating: 9.5/10
Description:
At last, I have been hoping for this moment since the day I began with this project.
femtanyl, established by Canadian producer and performer Noelle Mansbridge with Juno Callender later joining along, is an act that has thoroughly shaped the way I approach extreme electronic music and, by extension, music in general, ever since having discovered them. Having emerged relatively recently in 2023, the persona-turned-band has quickly acquired a loyal and unique following through their incredibly unique approach to music, combining maximalist, hyper and near-deafening production and swift beats with roaring vocals and raw, haunting lyricism. Everything put out by them is so unequivocally true to the feelings and experiences of Mansbridge and Callender that it becomes instantly noticeable, and their anticipated debut album that released on this very day, MAN BITES DOG, is no exception to the rule.
Having cited the likes of The Prodigy and Machine Girl as musical inspirations behind the femtanyl project, these EDM and digital hardcore influences are not just drawn, but tightly pulled form within the set of 10 tracks the album has to offer. Matching the incredibly energetic and aggressive nature that has carried along femtanyl's entire discography since its beginnings, a lot of the tracks simultaneously break from the particular style of successful yet slighly formulaic mold that earlier works of Mansbridge have followed over time, staying true to their core features of iridescent melodies blending with layered noise and passionate screaming whilst not being afraid of experimentation in terms of song structure and dialing up the level of aggression in each song. In this sense, the music feels like a natural evolution of femtanyl's established style and discography, and it's a subtle change from the already engaging status quo that is more than welcome.
MAN BITES DOG's output - particularly some of the brand-new tracks that weren't already released prior to today - is certainly one that takes some repeated exposure in order to click, but whenever that effect takes in, it leaves the listener with an indescribable experience as it invites one to simply embrace its out-there, unorthodox and yet whimsical and fun nature. With both artistic merit and enjoyability combined into one, the album does everything it intends to achieve and much more, and proves to show what the best sort of electronic music can truly have to offer - it is truly everything one can ask for from a full-length femtanyl record. A brilliant slam-dunk from both Noelle and Juno, and a spectacular showing overall!