This Is Hardcore

This Is Hardcore finds Pulp shifting into darker, more cinematic territory than their mid 1990s work, blending electronic textures with rock and alternative sensibilities and layered string and horn arrangements. The production emphasizes mood and theatre, with experimental touches and dense, often noir-tinged soundscapes that sit beneath Jarvis Cocker's more introspective and world-weary lyrics about fame, desire, aging and disillusionment. The album reads as a deliberate, mature counterpoint to the band's earlier, more exuberant pop moments while retaining strong melodic instincts.