If Banks’ latest album, Serpentina, is not my most played album this year, the Apple Replay gods will need to do some serious recalculating. I have had Banks in heavy rotation since a friend recommended her a little over a year ago, and as far as I am concerned, anything she touches becomes a masterpiece.
There is a liberating feeling you get when listening to Banks. Often times, we hide parts of ourselves from others. Maybe we feel like we aren’t allowed to be a certain way. Maybe we feel like no one will understand. Maybe we feel ashamed or scared. Whatever the case, Banks’ music is a safe space for you to be you. Within her music, you are allowed to be vulnerable, passionate, independent, and raw. You do not have to hide parts of yourself that you fear will be misunderstood. Perhaps that is why the opening track, “Misunderstood,” hits so hard as it beckons the listener with pleading lyrics to, “please let me be misunderstood.”
I like to be in control and I am a bit cynical. These are two things that I have to keep in check constantly. Too much of either, and I will be a lonely gal. Confidence radiates through this album on tracks like “Meteorite,” “F**k Love,” “The Devil,” and “Skinnydipped” in a way that helps those parts of me feel empowered rather than feeling like I need to snuff them out, and creates an environment where I can release emotion in a very cathartic way.
The production throughout this album is stunning. I cannot think of another artist whose production I prefer more than Banks. Distorted hip-hop beats drive most of the tracks and are accompanied by unique soulful melodies that dare you to box this record into one genre. Banks’ vocals float over the more vulnerable tracks like “Birds By the Sea” and “I Still Love You” guided by intricate piano melodies. “Holding Back” is my favorite track. It is one of those songs that gets you excited about music, a song that you lose and find yourself in simultaneously.
This is my number one this year. I do not anticipate anything else to surpass the genius that is this record. Give it a spin and let me know what you think. Click here for upcoming tour dates. I’ve heard nothing but great things about Banks live. Don’t miss out!