ASHNIKKO - ‘WEEDKILLER’

Writer’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ashnikko releases groove-filled album ‘WEEDKILLER’ which explores how a kind heart can be corrupted by trauma in an apocalyptic fantasy - and the art of healing it. It is a conceptual album that follows the lead character Aster through a self-destructing world seen through the lens of surrealism.

‘World Eater’ gives us entry into the world they have created and makes for a strong opener. The Weedkiller echoes Earth’s very own capitalist machine and already presents itself as an enemy to protagonist Aster who is bristling with rage.

Previously released as a single, ‘You Make Me Sick!’ remains the biggest two minute showstopper on the tracklist. If a storm could be put into a song, this one would carry the biting winds of a tornado. The grit-filled rap is heavy with repulsion towards an individual who has clearly caused some hurt; you can almost feel the aggression radiating off every word.

‘Cheerleader’ is a hip-hop groove containing a repeated catchy hook of the song’s title. It features hard-hitting lines like “God made me pretty / you made me mean” but it continues to be a track worth dancing around to.

‘Miss Nectarine’ explores the art of sneaking around in your teens with a fun - but sad - homoerotic twist. It tells the story of religious trauma and expected heteronormativity coming in between what may have been true love. The pace picks up in ‘Chokehold Cherry Python’ where distorted guitars can be heard as Ashnikko demonstrates their thorough understanding of genre fusion.

the track ‘WEEDKILLER’ bears a similar level of grit as ‘You Make Me Sick!’ with lines that show the brutality of surviving someone and finally choosing to retaliate. “I made knives outta broken ribs / I will be the one to eliminate you” show the harsh lengths the protagonist will go to in order to see the other person meet their demise.

The album closes on a slow, mournful note with ‘Dying Star’ featuring Ethel Cain. “I’m tired of the dirt and grit / I want something soft”. Seeking revenge is put on pause as the heroine accepts the suffering she has endured and yearns for someplace gentle in the end.

Ashnikko is familiar with releasing extremely popular releases such as ‘Daisy’ and ‘Slumber Party’ which featured on the ‘Demidevil’ mixtape released in 2021. Both songs reached over three-quarter of a million streams combined on Spotify. The album may very well reach those same heights with the artist’s growing success.

Undeniably, Ashnikko makes being weird cool again. With eccentric lyricism to match their fantasy look, they remain a bold voice for the strange. However, that does not take away from the heavy topics touched on in ‘WEEDKILLER’ - if anything, it shows how the harsh realities of the world do not discriminate. For an album exploring the breadth of human emotion and grief it makes for a mind-blowing hit.