Jesse Hartman has always thrived in the space where wit and pop hooks collide. With his cult electro-pop project Laptop, he resurfaces in 2025 with “Weirder”, a track that captures all the elements that have long defined his work. This time, though, there’s an extra dimension—his 19-year-old son Charlie is by his side, injecting fresh energy into the familiar Laptop aesthetic. “Weirder” is a strange, addictive cocktail. At its core, it’s driven by a funny, shimmering pop pulse. Its vocals, synths and guitars make it an indie-pop anthem, which will make you wanna dance and shake! The performances are tense and lively; the whole mindset is playful but melancholic; the production, handled by Grammy-winning Mario McNulty, is sleek without sanding down the edges. Lyrically, Hartman does what he’s always done best: turning social commentary into dry, black comedy. And the chemistry between Jesse and Charlie is undeniable here. You can sense a cross-generational tension—the seasoned cynic and the young idealist weaving together a song that’s cutting and oddly hopeful. It doesn’t feel like a revival of Laptop so much as a reinvention, with the DNA intact but adapted for a post-viral, post-everything era. It’s no wonder “Weirder” went viral with millions of views. It’s catchy without trying too hard, thought-provoking without being preachy, and danceable in its own crooked way. More than two decades after Laptop’s underground heyday, Jesse Hartman proves he can still make good pop music that sticks in your head while poking holes in your worldview.
♦ 8/10
Dimitris Zacharopoulos
