I really love having this space to discuss music, especially when an artist like Banks is suggested to me. I cannot believe I had not heard of this powerhouse artist until a few weeks ago! Her latest album, III, was released back in 2019, and I cannot get enough of it.
Empowered. That is how I feel when I listen to this record. This woman is fed up and ready to rid herself of toxic relationships. The album begins with the stunning opener “Til Now.” There is a beautiful release of emotion within the song as heavy breathing begins to surround each line. You can literally feel her crawling out of a pit of darkness, each exhale representing one more step toward liberation. There is a definite shift in control from the first to second track, “Gimmie,” with an encouraging message for women to stand up for themselves. Confidence bleeds through the song with the lyrics “gimmie what I want, what I deserve,” as she discovers her new found sense of worth.
This confidence carries throughout the rest of the record, exploring desires in a freeing way. The album does a magnificent job of conveying the internal struggle of wanting to be seen as strong and independent, but yearning for genuine love and connection. While the first few tracks take us through a roller coaster of relationships that leaves love feeling a bit jaded, the second half of the album introduces a more hopeful view of love with tracks like “If We Were Made of Water” and “What About Love.”
The production of the record is phenomenal. The shift in the bass line from a harsh distorted sound to an 80’s funk on “Stroke” is one of my favorite things on the album. Unpredictable moments like that in a song are what I crave. My favorite track has been changing daily, and I cannot really pin one down. I find that I am most drawn to “Til Now,” “Gimmie,” “Stroke,” “Swazall,” and “The Fall.”
I cannot recommend this artist enough! Give her a listen and let me know what you think. For more information on Banks click here.