Off With Her Head - 10 years of BANKS
BANKS has announced her new album “Off With Her Head”, which is set to release in February.
As someone who has followed her music since her debut 10 years ago, I can confidently say that I am trembling with anticipation. Inspired by this announcement, I’ve decided to write a retrospective about her previous four major projects: “Goddess”, “The Altar”, “III” and “Serpentina”.
Her debut album “Goddess”, was released exactly 10 years ago and it became a groundbreaking moment for alternative electronic R&B. The album proved both critically and commercially successful, inspiring and reshaping the genre. With the help of cutting-edge, left-field producers and her offbeat lyrical and melodic approach to songwriting, this collection of songs influenced a lot of artists and left a lasting impact - more than it often gets credit for. I can think of at least a few artists who debuted after BANKS and shamelessly attempted to recreate the haunting, pulsating magic she infused into her music. Even Rihanna was charmed, sampling “Waiting Game” for her track “Desperado” on the iconic album “Anti”. Beyond the obvious success of the single “Beggin For Thread” -recently certified platinum in the US- and the millions of views amassed by the music videos from this era, “Goddess” had something you couldn’t buy, not even replicate: depth. Even the remixed version of the album, released later, still managed to retain a level of profoundness that is extremely rare in this industry.
“Off With Her Head” album cover art via BANKS on Instagram. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
BANKS’ sophomore album, “The Altar”, was released in 2016. This album is a masterpiece and, to my taste, Banks’ magnus opus. It took the darker, more unsettling elements from its predecessor and amped up their intensity. The first two singles alone - “Fuck With Myself” and “Gemini Feed”- were proof that BANKS wasn’t interested in bottling up the lucky formula of “Beggin For Thread”. Instead, she fearlessly carved out her own sinister path. As a listener, I am so thankful for this choice because it resulted in far superior music. From start to finish, “The Altar” radiates a clear vision paired with a more sophisticated, evolved sound. Much of this is thanks to her signature use of vocal transformers, heavily layered throughout the album - an approach that has since become almost ubiquitous in alternative electronic music. It was definitely ahead of its time.
“III”, BANKS’ third album, likely arrived with significant expectations to achieve greater commercial success than its predecessor. It’s pretty predictable that by this point, Capitol Records was hoping for something that could rival the breakout appeal of “Goddess”.
While this album definitely had a more mainstream appeal, it still retained a left-field vibe and pivoted its thematic focus: sexuality and eros now took center stage in basically all of the songs. “III” remains BANKS most critically praised record. However, in my opinion, the highlights of the album are still the more haunting and eerie tracks, such as “Contaminated”, “Godless” and “Stroke”.
BANKS’ fourth album, “Serpentina”, was released in 2022 and marked a significant shift as her first major project not tied to Capitol Records, but instead released through AWAL.
This album has proven to be divisive. On one hand, it showcases some of BANKS’ most intriguing melodies; on the other, it feels somewhat bland compared to her earlier, more groundbreaking works. While I still enjoyed “Serpentina”, it seemed to lack the spark that infused her previous albums with such vitality. After discussing it with friends who also love her music, we all agreed that “Serpentina” feels like an album created for the fans.
Which is not necessarily a bad thing, I do think that it could have benefited from greater musical exploration. “The Devil” is a banger though. And now, we arrive at the announcement of “Off With Her Head”, set to release on February 28th. Promising, as Billboard states, a “return to form”, the album brings back some of BANKS’ earlier collaborators, which is reason enough to be excited.
I am particularly thrilled about the return of SOHN, an incredible musician and producer renowned for his synth-heavy soundscapes, intricate harmonies and masterful use of vocals as instruments. Judging by the first two singles - “I Hate Your Ex Girlfriend” featuring the incredible Doechii, and “Best Friends”- this album already feels like it’s going to be the perfect synthesis of all her best work. I can’t wait.
