Ashnikko is a Pop artist who has intrigued me ever since I discovered her a few years ago. It is safe to say there is nothing and no one like Ashnikko; when it comes to her artistry and musicality, she truly has no equal. She is a genre-fluid artist who shows just as much weirdness and diversity in her imagery as she does in her music; it is safe to say you never know what you’re going to get when it comes to Ashnikko, and it seems like there are no limits to what she can do. Ashnikko first burst onto the Alternative Pop scene in 2016 when she released her debut EP Pancakes in 2017 to marginal online success. She followed this up with her 2018 EP Unlikeable, which also made waves in underground music circles but never truly put her on the map as an up-and-coming star. Her fortunes changed in 2019 when her song ‘Special’ with Baby Tate from the EP Hi, It’s Me went viral on TikTok; this track put Ashnikko on the radars of most big music publications, cementing her as one to watch. Ashnikko further cemented herself as a rising star in Pop music with her mixtape Demidevil, which came out at the beginning of 2021. This project was praised by critics and fans for how fresh and interesting it was compared to the other Pop music coming out at the time. Two years after that project came out, Ashnikko has finally released her highly anticipated debut album, WEEDKILLER, and here is how I feel about it. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from WEEDKILLER, and also comment on how you feel about the album as a whole.
Ashnikko gets WEEDKILLER going on a bold and fierce nature with the song ‘World Eater.’ This is a large, brash Trap banger that is driven by a melody that has a traditional Indian music feeling to it. This melody is very distorted and is played on what sounds like metal guitars, making this Indian-style melody feel dark and harsh. The beat for this song is driven by a buzzing bassline and brash Trap drums, and it is complemented by a ton of robotic sound effects that make it feel vigorous. Ashikko’s vocals on this track are high-pitched and shrill, which contrasts the dingy nature of the instrumental; these vocals when put on this instrumental make the song even more foreboding. ‘You Make Me Sick!’ was released as the first single from this project back in February. When this song came out, it certainly shocked Ashnikko fans, as it was nothing like what they would have expected. This is a Heavy Metal-infused Trap song that is driven by a bluesy Metal guitar riff that is put on a hard-hitting and heavily distorted beat. Ashnikko’s vocals are raspy and hoarse on this track, which matches the grating nature of the instrumental. To be frank, this song greatly underwhelmed me when it came out. I am usually a huge fan of Trap instrumentals with Metal melodies, but this one does not grab me. I guess I just do not find the instrumental or rap flow used in ‘You Make Me Sick!’ very compelling when compared to other music that is similar to this. ‘Worms’ was the next single released before this album came out. This track has a Pop-Trap sound that fits snugly into the Hip Hop and Pop music landscapes of today. This song is driven by a warm, Tropical-sounding melody that is provided by a distorted electric guitar and complemented by synths. This melody is put over a laid-back, fun Trap beat that will get anyone bobbing their head when it comes on. Ashnikko’s vocal tone on ‘Worms’ is lower than it is on the first two tracks. The deeper nature that she sings with goes well with the cozy feeling of the instrumental. ‘Worms’ does not have an innovative or original sound, but it is solid for what it is. If you are a fan of easy-going Pop-Trap, it is a song for you. If ‘Worms’ sounds typical and basic, then ‘Super Soaker’ featuring Daniela Lalita’ sounds unordinary and unusual. This is a futuristic Pop banger that almost sounds anxious. There is something off-putting about this instrumental, but that is what draws me in. ‘Super Soaker’ is driven by a deep, gloomy guitar-driven melody that is heavily distorted and synthesized. The beat on this track is fast-paced and frenzied but still kind of feels low-key. It does not hit as hard as the pace of the drums suggests it might. Both of the vocal performances on this track are great. Both artists sing with a husky tone that fits the sinister feeling of the instrumental. ‘Super Soaker’ is the coolest song on the project to this point, and it shows how Ashnikko can push boundaries so fascinatingly when she wants to.
‘Don’t Look At It’ keeps the dystopian and ultramodern feeling that the song that precedes it has. The melody for this track is mainly driven by the vocals from Ashnikko; deep and heavy synths do come in during the hook to give the song power and emphasis, but for the most part, the melody on this track is almost an afterthought. Instead, the focus of this instrumental centers around the robotic and intense Trap beat. This beat is so huge and hits with so much ferocity. Ashnikko’s vocals on this track are hypnotic, which makes the song extra-tantalizing. ‘Don’t Look At It’ is another great track that is unlike anything anyone else is making currently. ‘Cheerleader’ is the final single that was released for WEEDKILLER. The best way that I can describe this track is that it feels like a modern version of mid-2000s Pop music. I immediately thought of Gwen Stefani when I first listened to this track. It has the kind of twinkling yet abrasive horn-driven melody that a lot of her had. This melody is put on a Pop-Trap beat that reminds me a lot of the City Girls. Ashnikko’s vocals on this track make me think of Gwen Stefani as well. The chanting nature in which she delivers her vocals is catchy but also obnoxious. ‘Cheerleader’ is an ode to an artist that it is clear Ashnikko appreciates quite a bit. Like ‘Worms,’ it does not necessarily stand out but does have a place for fans of this kind of music. ‘Moonlight Magic’ is the second song in a row that immediately makes me think of mid to late 2000s Pop music. Instead of artists like Gwen Stefani or Fergie, though, this one reminds me more of Britney Spears or Katy Perry. This song is like a more desolate and abrasive version of the Synth-Pop music they excelled at during this era. The melody for this song is driven by fat synths with an icy feeling to them; this melody is complemented by metallic sound effects that add to the mean tone of the melody. During the pre-chorus, the melody briefly takes on a metal guitar sound; this brief section is my favorite part of the instrumental as it provides texture. The beat for this song has a steady 2000s Pop tempo that does not have anything special or engaging about it. Ashnikko’s vocals on ‘Moonlight Magic’ are nothing to write home about as well. They do not do anything to make the song any more exciting. ‘Moonlight Magic’ is a 2000s-inspired Pop track that makes me glad that this kind of music is not made anymore. ‘Miss Nectarine’ has a lot more of a modern sound than the last two tracks had. This song leans into the Downtempo House music trend that has been becoming popular in the last year or so. It is driven by a melody provided by chunky synths with a despondent and inky sound. This melody is put on a speedy House beat driven by a pounding bassline that gets my heart pumping when it comes on. This song has an instrumental that would be perfect for either a Cyberpunk-themed club or a Goth fashion show. Ashinikko’s vocals on this track are not the most mesmerizing, but they do fit the downtrodden feeling of the instrumental. ‘Moonlight Magic’ is a solid Gothic-House track that breaks up the monogamous feeling the last couple of tracks had.
‘Chokehold Cherry Python’ goes back to the Metal-infused music that we got a few times at the beginning of the album. Out of all her ventures into Metal music to this point of the record, this one is my favorite. There is a Hardcore Punk energy to this song that I love; this is partly provided by the guitar tone and partly provided by the vocals from Ashnikko. This instrumental is driven by a coarse guitar riff that is put over a 2000s-style Pop beat. The contrast between the guitar riff and the beat makes the song gripping and provides it with texture. Ashnikko shrieks the vocals throughout a lot of this track, giving the song so much life and attitude. The vocals take ‘Chokehold Cherry Python’ over the top and make it extra fun. ‘Chokehold Cherry Python’ is an example of Ashnikko diving into Metal music and completely succeeding. The title track, ‘WEEDKILLER,’ was the third single released in anticipation of this record. If ‘Chokehold Cherry Python’ is an example of Ashnikko excelling at Metal and Industrial music, then ‘WEEDKILLER’ is truly the opposite of that. This is a funky, Industrial Pop-Trap banger that feels unpleasant and uninviting. There is something about this track that makes it so non-redeeming. To be honest, the melody makes my skin crawl; it feels so disorganized and icky. This melody is complemented by random sound effects that include gun sounds and metallic screeching; these sound effects make the song unsavory and nasty. Ashnikko’s vocals on ‘WEEDKILLER’ are actually pretty thrilling; she constantly switches her tone and shows off her wide vocal range. Unfortunately, the vocals do not make up for the instrumental. I am sure that ‘WEEDKILLER’ was meant to be shocking, and it achieves that sentiment. Unfortunately, in this case, shocking does not mean good in any regard. ‘Want It All’ is an Industrial Trap song with a futuristic feeling that has an extremely dystopian feeling. The groovy melody this song contains goes back and forth from being dainty and pleasant to savage and devastating. I love how this melody changes up on itself throughout the track, as it makes ‘Want It All’ so exhilarating. The beat for ‘Want It All’ is super brash and tough, matching the looming feeling of the instrumental. Ashnikko’s vocals on the track are very in-your-face and forceful, and they are perfect for the passion of this instrumental. ‘Want It All’ is a major highlight for me; it is an example of Ashnikko doing what she does best, which is making larger-than-life bangers. ‘Possession of a Weapon’ was released in tandem as a single with the song ‘Cheerleader’ when it came out at the end of last month. This song is probably the most laid-back and calm song on the record to this point; it is also one of the most uninviting and trepid-sounding tracks. For such a subdued song, this song sure feels murky and threatening. The melody for the song has a Middle-Eastern feeling to it; it reminds me of the music that plays when snake charmers are doing their thing. The beat for this song pounds in a way that feels impending; there is something about the beat that adds to the creepy feeling of the instrumental. Ashnikko’s vocals on this track are just as chilling as the instrumental, taking the alarming nature of the track to another level. ‘Possession of a Weapon’ is an intriguing track that shows off Ashnikko’s creativity and diversity in her artistry. Ashnikko closes out WEEDKILLER with ‘Dying Star’ which features Ethel Cain. This track almost feels like it does not belong on this record. It is a strange way to close the album, as it does not sound like anything else on the record. Usually, artists will close out a record with a track that wraps up its overlying sonic themes, but that is not the case with ‘Dying Star.’ Now this is not a knock on the quality of the track; in fact, this is one of the best songs on the record. ‘Dying Star’ is a laid-back Country-Rock song with a very Bluesy feeling to it. This song is driven by a pensive electric guitar melody that is very distorted; this distortion adds to the sorrowful feeling of the instrumental. This guitar riff is the driving force of the instrumental, as there is no beat. Instead, a bass guitar and various other instruments come in toward the end of the track, which ends up making it feel more full. The vocal performances on ‘Dying Star’ from both Ashnikko and Ethel Cain are both excellent. The emotion in their voices is so palpable, and they take the heavy feeling that this instrumental has to the next level. I enjoy how Ethel Cain’s lighter and softer tone contrasts the deeper tone of Ashnikko, as it gives the track so much texture and life. Admittedly, ‘Dying Star’ is a pretty weird way to end this record considering what the album was like before it, but it is also easily one of the best songs on WEEDKILLER(if not literally the best song), and that makes the fact it does not fit into the sonic landscape of the record at all easier to digest.
I feel like 2023 has been a year full of releases from artists I have adored in the past that ended up underwhelming me. I keep telling myself not to hype up these records so much and put them on a pedestal that is tough to reach before they even come out, but I keep doing this and end up being let down. I have to admit, I expected a lot more out of WEEDKILLER. Ashnikko is an artist that I have always thought has the potential to totally transcend traditional Pop music and make music that drives the genre forward, and WEEDKILLER does not do that for the most part. This record is not bad by any means; in fact, there is a lot about it that I love. I guess I thought it would be more consistent, and I also thought it would be more innovative. Maybe it is not fair to put that on Ashnikko and expect her to deliver some genre-bending masterpiece every time she wants to put out music, but that is the standard she has set with some of her past works. Regardless, Ashnikko’s WEEDKILLER is a solid debut album from an awesome rising Alt-Pop star, and it does have a few very good songs that I know I will be returning to frequently in the near future.
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