AceShowbiz - Lip Critic have revealed details of their upcoming album, Theft World, along with the release of its dynamic lead single, ‘Legs In A Snare’.

The New York-based electro-punk band’s sophomore album is scheduled to drop on May 1 through Partisan Records. ‘Legs In A Snare’ marks their first new offering since last year’s tracks ‘Mirror Match’ and ‘Second Life’.

This energetic single, described as “a love song twisted into a horror story,” bursts with relentless drumming and sharp guitar riffs, supporting frontman Bret Kaser’s passionate vocals. The lyrics convey a gripping emotional tension: “You got me wrapped around your finger,” he sings, followed by the haunting refrain, “Am I still the one you want?”

The accompanying music video, directed by Colter Fellows, mirrors the track’s intensity by oscillating between moments of chaos and control, perfectly capturing the song’s fierce energy.

The inspiration for Theft World emerged during the band’s tour for their debut album, 2024’s Hex Dealer. While on the road, Kaser discovered that his identity had been stolen, with the thief using his details to make numerous purchases, including buying the band’s entire Bandcamp catalog.

Upon tracking down the culprit—a young fan convinced the band’s music contained secret codes forming a scavenger hunt—they opted against legal action. Instead, they recorded the fan describing the elaborate mythology he had imagined surrounding the band’s work.

Drawing from this alternate universe crafted by the fan, Lip Critic shaped Theft World as an album that reflects this invented reality, effectively creating the record the fan believed already existed.

The band describes Theft World as “an ode to the power and pervasiveness of stealing,” emphasizing themes of transformation: “It’s about taking something ugly and using it to make something cute. It’s about eating an absurd world and falling in love with it as you digest.”

The album’s tracklist includes:

• Two Lucks
• Jackpot
• Debt Forest
• Talon
• Charity Dinner
• Drumming With Izzy
• My Blush (Strength Of The Critic)
• Shoplifting
• Legs In A Snare
• My Wife And The Goblin
• Yard Sale (230 Take)
• 200 Bottles Of Eviction

When Hex Dealer was released two years ago, it received widespread acclaim, earning a five-star review from NME. The publication praised the album as “bold, energetic and blisteringly smart,” hailing Lip Critic as “a full-on, disruptive force emerging from their city’s underground scene” with music “riding high on a bolt of infectious energy.”

The band’s 2023 debut UK performance also garnered five-star reviews, further cementing their reputation as an exciting and innovative new act.