“Flux,” by Poppy.

Just when you think you’ve got Poppy figured out, think again. On her new album, Flux, the musical shapeshifter stays within the rock universe but taps into a much different musical space than her prior efforts. That’s not to say Poppy (whose name is Moriah Pereira) leaves behind the precision riffs and metal of I Disagree entirely. But this time around it makes cameos throughout rather than serving as the main course.

“You gotta flux and flow with me,” Poppy sings, which seems like a fairly accurate summation of her manic stylistic shifts over the course of a song—and the record. The album opens with the title track, which fuses ’80s bombast with ’90s grunge wrapped up in pop sensibility. One of the most noticeable changes this time around is Poppy’s vocals. Her voice is crisp and upfront with little to no bells and whistles. The same goes for the instrumentation. Everything has a very raw and in-the-moment feel.

The punky swagger of “Lessen the Damage” has a driving energy that flows through the drumming and dirty guitar riffs. As the song gets more chaotic, Poppy even unleashes a scream to match the energy. While she’s screamed on tracks before, it feels more upfront and direct here.

“So Mean” has a late-era Stone Temple Pilots jump to it with an infectious and, yeah—poppy—vocal melody. The track again thrives on its raw energy laid down by q straightforward rhythm section and guitar playing. The song breaks down into a trippy bass riff before hitting the bridge. “How did I get here?” Poppy asks before letting out another scream.

The mid-tempo yet bouncy “On the Level” actually has a bit of a down-tuned Paramore energy, which makes sense since Justin Meldal-Johnsen, who produced that band, also worked on this album. While the track is mostly laid-back, it does close out with an appearance by I-Disagree-era Poppy on some of the transitions, adding quick thrash riffs for good measure  The mood shifts toward more of an ’80s-inspired alt-pop anthem on “Hysteria.” Poppy’s vocals are lower and a little more understated, making for an interesting change of pace. The energetic track opens up into a kaleidoscopic electro-rock spectacle in the final moments. 

The punchy two-minute rocker “Her” hits with the rawness of ’90s grunge. It’s easy to hear some Nirvana influence but there’s some added nuance sprinkled in for good measure. “Bloom” flies of the gate with a rolling drumming pattern and lively guitar riff. It rises and falls with the singing of Poppy, building momentum until it hits the chorus when everything gets stripped away to an acoustic guitar and piano. The song is one of the high points of the album in part because it’s tough to pinpoint anything similar in her catalog.

“As Strange As It Seems” slows the pace but still brings a moody heaviness with down-tuned guitar riffs fused with muddy synth sounds, creating a proggy alt-rock ballad. The album’s best moment arrives in its final track, “Never Find My Place.” The song manages to capture the different energies of the album and combine them into one arrangement, finishing with a grand finale reminiscent of Muse.

While it’s tough to pin Poppy down, part of her identity is that she can be whatever she wants to be at any time. Surely, she’ll morph again on next album, and that’s part of the fun. While those who loved Poppy’s heaviest moments may miss that aggression, there’s plenty to enjoy on Flux.

Follow writer Mike DeWald at Twitter.com/mike_dewald.