Catchy, occasionally bordering on bizarre, lyricism complements some of their boldest sonic work to date, telling a narrative of love, lust, and desire.
From the outset, ‘Smoochie Girl’, the fourth single to be released from the album, introduces Ashnikko in love with three minutes of bubbling pop energy; “Is this too much? I wanna take out my IUD / Is this too much? I wanna read your favourite book”. 'Smoochies' is bookended by vulnerability and the confession that she is not invincible, the opening track offering an infectious take on the terror of falling for someone, “I'm not heartbreak-proof in my hazmat suit”.
Well known for their sexually charged discography, ‘Liquid’ brings a darker edge with noughties inspiration, fuelled by hedonistic eroticism: “I need you cellularly, let our molecules mix”. Ashnikko’s affinity with creating unfiltered high-octane pop hits will be familiar territory for fans of her previous work, such as 2021’s ‘Slumber Party’ featuring Princess Nokia. ‘Trinkets’ plays on themes of objectification by swapping gender norms, “he’s riding shotgun, my hand on his thigh”, a commentary on your partner becoming a romantic accessory, disguised by a playful nod to a love of ornaments and decoration - the sparkling sonic equivalent of the Labubu trend.
The American singer-rapper's K-pop influences come through in hate-fuelled ‘Chinchinya’, whilst ‘Skin Cleared’ finds clarity in a post-breakup reality, “Happier, sexier, healthier without you”. There is a somewhat dystopian feel to an environmental crisis becoming a sexual simile in ‘Microplastics’, “I want you in my body like microplastics”, but ‘Full Frontal’ leaves no space for metaphor, with iconic no-nonsense lyricism that is immediately identifiable to Ashnikko. Fifteen tracks packed into just over 37 minutes have not been a barrier for a sonically varied album, pushing the boundaries of what listeners could expect based on her previous discography. Working with COBRAH, ‘Wet Like’ has been described by Ashnikko as a soundtrack to “eye f*ck a stranger in the club to”.
‘Itty Bitty’ is quintessential Ashnikko, perhaps why it was the album’s lead single. Playful and free, the track kicks societal expectations into the dirt, a declaration of sexuality and fun. Sonically and lyrically feeling like her response to Charli XCX's ‘Guess’.
In this autonomy, the final two tracks slice through the album’s gorgeously vulgar imagery, ‘Baby Teeth’ tells of heartbreak, moving on whilst knowing there will always be a thread back to them; “every part of me that you touched has changed”...“Forever chained you’ll be / I’ll always love my baby teeth”.
‘It Girl’ leans towards introspection, a ballad sonically reminiscent of ‘Panic Attacks In Paradise’, and declared Ashnikko’s favourite track of ‘Smoochies’. It encapsulates the album, providing the provocative and joyous storylines with a lens of honest authenticity around ‘it girl’ culture. “I wanna kill the it girl in me” frames their carefree sexuality with a sobering awareness of reality, “I’ve gotta kill her before she kills me”.
In a pivotal moment before their World tour, Ashnikko again succeeds in keeping pop music fresh with ‘Smoochies’, a hair-raising, over-sharing record proving that sexiness and autonomy can share centre-stage. Tickets to Ashnikko’s world tour can be found here.
Maisy Neale
Image: ‘Smoochies' Official Album Cover
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