by Joseph Mastel
As an artist, you always want to evolve. You want to continue to work on your craft, venture into new territory, try new things, or think of ways to challenge yourself artistically. For an actor, this might be going against typecast. For a painter, this may mean changing from landscapes to portraits. For a writer, that might mean making a character-driven novel instead of a plot-driven one. Or, for a musician, that could mean taking an unexpected left turn and trying a completely different genre than what you are known for.
It is incredibly refreshing to see artists do things like this, even more so when it works out so well. This is the case for Anika, as she changes things up quite a bit with Abyss. Her newest album is a complete departure from her normal style and sound. Until this point in her career, Anika’s music could be classified as electronic, dub, or post-punk. Synths have played a significant role in her records. The atmosphere of the songs was dreamily mesmerizing. Meanwhile, the instrumentation was usually quite ambient. With Abyss, Anika explores more grunge and alternative rock territory. Additionally, it is a very guitar-heavy record with no synths really present at all. This monumental change in style works magnificently for Anika, as Abyss is her best record to date.
The instrumentation of Abyss is aggressively heavy and roughly intense. “Out Of The Shadows” is an explosively magnetic song with an electric bolt of energy, exhilarating fast-paced guitars, an angry punk-like attitude, and thunderously loud drums. The track also has a fascinating intro that does a fantastic job leading into the wildness that will unfold. It is a great combination of ‘70s punk with ‘90s Riot Grrrl. Meanwhile, “One Way Ticket” has a powerful driving guitar that is super gnarly. It just oozes with flavour and is such a bad-ass guitar line that will have listeners continuously replaying the song to hear it. The bass line in that song also enhances its gritty mood. “Last Song” has some great loud/quiet dynamics in play. The soft, somewhat calm verses flawlessly contrast with the chaotically frantic choruses. In the chorus, the guitars howl almost as if they are in a panic, the bass is vibrant, and Anika’s voice is soaring.
Lyrically, Abyss is just as dark as the instrumentation. In “Walk Away,” Anika delivers some very raw and honest lyrics, in particular, “The truth is I don’t really like myself / And the truth is I don’t really like anyone else.” Anika does not shy away at all in this song, as she vulnerably expresses her thoughts and feelings in a very intimate way. The dark lyrical content is perfectly juxtaposed with the song's cheerfully bright instrumentation and charmingly upbeat vibes. Alternatively, “Abyss,” tackles the state of the world feeling like an abyss. The grim and depressing lyrical content combined with the thrashing instrumentation results in it being eerily haunting.
Even though the record is quite intense from beginning to end, there are some moments where Anika sets some time aside to let it breathe. The best example of this is “Buttercups,” the closing track. It ends the record on a hopeful note, which is a great decision considering how intense and gloomy the rest of Abyss is, offering light at the end of the tunnel.