Energy Whores are not here to soothe, flatter, or distract. With their new single Pretty Sparkly Things, released ahead of their forthcoming album Arsenal of Democracy (October 2025), the New York–based avant-electro duo prove once again that music can be both a protest and a party. It’s a track designed to pull you onto the dance floor, only to leave you reeling from the weight of its message.
At first listen, Pretty Sparkly Things has all the hallmarks of a club anthem—driving synths, angular beats, and hypnotic vocals that shimmer with urgency. But beneath the surface, the song is a satirical scalpel cutting into the glossy facade of materialism and celebrity culture. Carrie Schoenfeld, the classically trained pianist, filmmaker, and lyricist behind the project, doesn’t mince words. From mocking “influencers with their photo filters” to calling out “spoiled girls clutching their pearls,” she dismantles the glitter of luxury to reveal a darker truth: the system is rigged, and the sparkle is a distraction from exploitation.
“This song is about how society dangles unattainable dreams in front of us while so many people are struggling just to survive,” Schoenfeld explains. “It’s satire, but it’s also deadly serious because this obsession with luxury and status is what keeps the machine grinding us down.” That duality is the core of Pretty Sparkly Things: dance-worthy production paired with lyrics that sting like headlines you can’t look away from.
The track doesn’t hold back from provocation. Lines like “Can’t pay your bills, can’t afford your pills… They’re only for the kings of pop, drinking backstage while someone’s sucking their cock” are unapologetically raw. Energy Whores force listeners to confront the grotesque excesses of wealth worship and the cruelty baked into modern hierarchies. The satire lands because the song doesn’t try to soften its blows—it dances in the wreckage instead.
Musically, Energy Whores thrive in contradiction. Their sound lives at the intersection of EDM, electro-pop, and experimental art rock, layered with folk-like storytelling. The result is what Schoenfeld herself calls avant electro: a genre-bending rebellion that channels both sonic euphoria and lyrical confrontation. Think Patti Smith’s fiery honesty wired through a Talking Heads groove, with the pulse of modern electronic production.
Formed with guitarist Attilio Valenti in a DIY basement studio, Energy Whores have always been about more than entertainment. Schoenfeld describes herself as a “sonic insurgent” and “lyrical arsonist,” making music not as escapism but as a mirror to society—sometimes cracked, sometimes bloodied, always unfiltered. With Pretty Sparkly Things, that mission feels sharper than ever.
The single is also a perfect preview of Arsenal of Democracy, the duo’s upcoming album, which promises to weave folk-style lyricism into electronic landscapes while dissecting themes of authoritarianism, greed, and social collapse. If this track is any indication, listeners should prepare for an experience that is as confrontational as it is immersive.
Ultimately, Pretty Sparkly Things is both a dance track and a warning sign. Energy Whores prove that political art doesn’t have to be niche—it can be as catchy and compelling as any pop hit, while cutting far deeper. It’s a reminder that sometimes the brightest sparkles hide the darkest truths.
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