Berlin-based artist Anika unveils her highly anticipated album Abyss, following the visually stunning videos for “Hearsay,” “Walk Away,” and “Oxygen.” Recorded live to tape at the iconic Hansa Studios in a matter of days, Anika emphasises the significance of this approach for capturing the album’s raw, authentic essence. She crafted all the songs herself and collaborated closely with Martin Thulin of Exploded View, assembling a stellar live band that includes Andrea Belfi on drums, Tomas Nochteff on bass (Mueran Humanos), and Lawrence Goodwin (The Pleasure Majenta) on guitar, with engineering by Nanni Johansson and Frida Claeson Johansson. “I always work with people I respect and admire,” Anika shares. “It’s very genuine that way.”
Abyss pulses with heavy guitar riffs and a thunderous rhythm section, marking a new sonic territory for Anika, partly inspired by the audacious spirit of 90s grunge. “I would often listen to Celebrity Skin by Hole,” she notes. “Courtney Love is always pushing things to the limits and she’s not scared. I think it was that rebellious nature of grunge that appealed to me.” Anika’s influences are eclectic, spanning from Patti Smith and Toni Morrison to Genesis P-Orridge. In her continued collaboration with Thulin for Abyss, she aimed to create an album that physically pulls listeners out of their heads and into their bodies.
The album’s physicality is further highlighted by its cover art, featuring androgynous figures drawn by a teenage friend Anika recently reconnected with. This visual connection is poignant, reflecting themes of teenage angst that permeate the album. “These days it feels like you have to have very catered opinions – like language has gone out the window,” she reflects. “It makes you feel very much like a restricted child again.” With Abyss, Anika strives for total freedom: “It’s like I’m doing all the things that I never allowed myself to do,”
Many tracks delve into Anika’s frustrations with modern life. The edgy indie thrum of “One Way Ticket” critiques the rise of fascism—’The city didn’t learn the lessons of its past’—while several songs address the profound divisions in today’s society, like the electrifying opener “Hearsay,” which tackles the issue of fake news, and the frantic beats of “Oxygen,” highlighting the increasing restrictions on personal freedoms, whether reproductive rights or trans rights.
Most tracks resonate with visceral intensity, but the concluding piece, “Buttercups,” takes a haunting and wistful turn. Initially perceived as nostalgic, Anika clarifies that each song has layers of meaning: “You can bring flowers to a first date, but you can also bring them to a funeral,” she illustrates, capturing the essence that life is rarely black and white.
Determined to express genuine emotions without restraint, Abyss drives home Anika’s raw honesty. The upbeat alt-rock anthem “Walk Away” lays bare her feelings: ‘The truth is I don’t really like myself/ And the truth is I don’t really like anyone else’… ‘Sometimes I know, life can just suck’… ‘And the truth is, I’d rather you just go to hell/ And the truth is, I’d rather the whole world did as well’.
“I thought about cutting the verse where I was saying the whole world should go to hell,” Anika admits. “I wondered if it was too much. But I just wanted to say the truth of where I was at.” Through this authentic emotional landscape, Anika invites listeners to immerse themselves in Abyss. “There needs to be room for people to put themselves in this album, and put their own narratives on it,” she concludes. “This is a space for you.”
Catch Anika’s DJ set and signing at Rough Trade Berlin on April 8th, and check out her Spring tour dates below
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