As a consequence of getting the Business Casual discography at a discounted price, I now own what's maybe my favorite vaporwave/future funk related album of all time, Solanin by Mere (https://businesscasual87.bandcamp.com/album/solanin)

I can recommend it but don't do what one commentor apparently did and play it at a kids birthday party, one of the tracks is called "interlewd" for a reason.

I think you can identify when a scholar of emo doesn't know what they are talking about when they connect emo with 'earnestness'.

Basically as soon as emo became an internet phenomenon as opposed to an obscure genre label in the hardcore music scene, it's always been steeped in irony. It's not that there isn't sincerity there, but in my experience, self-identification as emo has pretty much always been at least slightly tongue-in-cheek.

If you're into any frequently derided subculture, like furry or goth, you are going to recognize this particular flavour of irony. They are embracing something frequently seen as ridiculous, but in a way where they can at least pretend like they are in on the joke.