Review: Femtanyl - Man Bites Dog

Group lead Noelle Stockwood performing in 2024

Growing rapidly in popularity due to their perfected take on the hardcore side of PC Music (a sub-genre of Hyperpop pioneered by legendary London-based producer A.G. Cook that shares a name with his record label), the duo Femtanyl has returned in 2026 with their first album, their first non-single since the Reactor EP back in 2024. What the duo has brought to the table in this full-length offering is nothing short of impressive and demonstrates a musical range that may have previously flown under the radar.

When I fell in love with the group, members Noelle Stockwood and Juno Callender were making some of the catchiest breakcore and jungle tracks infused with classic sample/synth stabs that usually find themselves in ‘90s-‘00s edm projects. This, and their band mascot Token who provided visual familiarity when I would revisit the genre, kept me coming back and exploring new offerings as they came about. If you are just learning about Femtanyl, might I recommend ‘GIRL HELL 1999’ or ‘DINNER!’ as some good tastemakers to preface the style of Man Bites Dog.

Listen to the new album while you read all about it:

Man Bites Dog Album Poster 2026

In which you find they have deviated somewhat. Retaining the grit and grime associated with the underground webcore scene established in all prior tracks, with a new industrial noisy guise and experimental sampling/slicing. Perhaps reading a little too far into all the iconography, but the imagery of the mascot being burned on the cover art of Man Bites Dog is perfectly suited for this sonic evolution. Most artist do find themselves varying in style more across an LP than an EP because of the afforded room and time, but this project doesn’t simply add slow burners between their usual hits, it reinvents what Femtanyl sounds like.

‘HELLTARGET’ features clever uses of bpm changes all throughout the track, changing both the pocket and vibe in multiple instances. ‘SICK OF IT’ features a distorted pentatonic flute sample acting as the lead synth. ‘VIDEO NASTY’ invokes the feeling of tripping at a warehouse rave with its heavy industrial house beat. But there are also some tracks that call back to where Femtanyl came from, and maybe even where they eventually find themselves returning to; ‘HEAD UP’ keeps up the improved production depth featured on this project, yet returns to the classic synth stab/breakbeat formula the duo is known for.

All in all, this is a genre-melding experiment into what modern electronic music can be and makes me wonder what Femtanyl has up their sleeve next.

Check out the band here on their website, or simply click here to listen on Spotify!

Thanks for reading!