Album Review: "Obscentra" - Alessiah

Singer/Songwriter, Alessiah released her long-awaited debut album, "Obscentra", marking her transition into adulthood and showing off the growth within her sound.

TRACKLIST

loop - intro

made you cry

fuck all the...

best friends

call me by your name

deep end (feat. Tobi Ibitoye)

the fate

fantasy

addicted

hot like this

strawberry ice cream

red lights

boy toy

girls - bonus track (feat. RYAA & Luana Genevieve)

Alessiah has been in the entertainment industry for the past eight years, but officially released her first single, "Hurricane" in 2020. Throughout the past five years, she's been releasing singles and gaining a loyal global audience with her youthful, energetic sound. Her big breakthrough was her collaboration release with Moldovan Singer/Songwriter Mark Stam, with their own take on the Romanian poem by Yefim Krimerman, "De ce plang chitarele" which has over 200k streams on Spotify alone. After years of releasing singles and growing into her artistry, Alessiah decided it was time for a full body of work. Just in time for her to turn 18, Alessiah's debut album, "Obscentra" is not only her coming-of-age story, but shows just how much her songwriting and style has matured as well throughout her already long-lived career. Let's dive into these tracks and see what she has in store for us!

loop - intro

We start with an eerie, haunting intro that does exactly what it's titled. It has a super electronic soundscape that loops, with a dystopian atmosphere filled with beeping synths and heavy bass. There's a heavily reverbed, distorted British male voice speaking to us, as if reading our minds in an annoyed tone. We're young, reckless kids who tell ourselves we are gonna break the cycle of getting our heartbroken or being in the same toxic routine; but it seems like even when we're so close, we end up back to where it all began, starting the loop all over again.

made you cry

Next, we have "made you cry" which was the leading single released this year in anticipation for the album release and is a fan favorite song with over 100k streams on Spotify alone. "made you cry" feels like that kind of relationship that you know is bad for you, but you just can't let it go. It's constant pushing and pulling, and your partner is someone who doesn't like to hear the truth or else it hurts their feelings. Alessiah sings "if I made you cry, I did it 'cause I love you". The soundscape holds a dark-pop tone, keeping it minimalistic with a creeping groove and beat, but a heavy bass to add some RnB flare.

fuck all the...

"fuck all the..." is just as addicting to the ear as the love that Alessiah is singing about in the song. It has a stomping beat and a groove that is irresistible to move to. The production features a funky mixture of synths and guitar as well, making it perfect for a club or dance setting. "fuck all the..." is about that point in a relationship when it's not just love or lust anymore - it becomes a full on addiction that isn't good for you. They're literally like a drug that you crave, and they're destructive to your health. You're starting to be reckless with yourself, your morals and your personal life just to be with them.

best friends

You know how they always say "marry your best friend"? Well Alessiah's song "best friends" slows things down for us, starting as an acoustic ballad about having that best friend dynamic within a romantic relationship, and wishing to have that with someone you have feelings for, even if they don't feel the same way. The sound quality is more lo-fi, giving you a chance to hear Alessiah sing raw. Her vocals are soft and gentle as she shows off her falsetto. The soundscape builds slightly with alt. pop elements, reminiscent of Billie Eilish. Alessiah sings stunningly in the last chorus with only piano to back her up, and then the song takes a complete 180 for the outro, and you don't even realize it's the same song. Taking a big sigh before going into a badass electronic breakdown, Alessiah sings in sensual conversational tone while a heavy EDM instrumental backs her up.

call me by your name

Have you ever let yourself get down by the fact that someone else has the life that you want? You lie awake at night, wishing you could be them instead of loving yourself for who you are. They've got the romance, the looks, the job, the house... it's just unbearably unfair to have to even be around them. In "call me by your name", Alessiah sings of obsessing over someone else, saying "call me by your name, I'll call you by mine". The beat has a hip-hop / RnB influence with dark synths and telephone play in the production. The chorus is really catchy, so fair warning that it'll get suck in your head!

deep end (feat. Tobi Ibitoye)

"deep end" is a dark, emotional duet between Alessiah and Season 5 The Voice of Romania finalist, Tobi Ibitoye. Featuring haunting, operatic harmonies between the two vocalists for the most stunning hook you've ever heard, "deep end" is a song about feeling like you're drowning within the aftermath of heartbreak when you lose a relationship. Even if it was toxic, sometimes it takes a while to pull yourself out of the dark and deep hole that they've put you in. The soundscape has a heavy beat and thrilling synths to accompany the extremely poetic lyrics.

the fate

"the fate", takes a sensual, experimental approach to electronic pop, with a heavy, popping bass and distorted synths. Alessiah sings with some blues in the melodic structure, adding a little bit of soul and sass to the atmosphere. "the fate" tells a story of an ex who lingers around just a little too much, but Alessiah makes it very clear that she's not interested in him playing with her feelings - and she certainly doesn't need him in her life anymore.

fantasy

"fantasy" is a super unique, groovy song that'll have you dancing around and hyping yourself up. This confident, self-empowering song is about when that person you were interested in didn't see what they had when they had it, but you know exactly what you're worth - so when they're calling you up later, you've already moved on. "fantasy" has such a hypnotising soundscape, with filtered vocals that perfectly blend in with it's psychedelic, club aesthetic and production style.

addicted

"addicted" was the second official single release in anticipation for the release of this album. With a synth-bass riff to get you hooked on the groove right off the bat, "addicted", is quite... addicting. Featuring a bridge with an old-school rap, this song is about having a cheating lover that has hurt you beyond belief, but there's something inside you that refuses to let go. However, in doing so, they now think they they can get away with anything and they keep hurting you over and over again. Alessiah sings, "addicted to the chaos, addicted to the fall, I don’t need no saving but I do want it all". Alessiah's voice in this song is different from others as she sings with a super rich tone, full of passion.

hot like this

As Alessiah's third single release pre-album, "hot like this" was written to be a self-worth anthem, full of confidence and closure for anyone out there needing to close the door on a relationship for good. Know the hottie and baddie you are, and blast this banger in the car. "hot like this" has bright and sexy pop vocals from Alessiah, mixed with a nostalgic 2000's RnB and contemporary soul rhythm and production.

strawberry ice cream

CAUTION - DANGEROUSLY CATCHY SONG AHEAD. "strawberry ice cream" is crafted to get stuck in your head, so don't say I didn't warn you. Immediately it starts with a funky bass and soon brings in a stomping beat. The hook features a spoken vocal with a rhythm that is undeniably groovy. The production is both nostalgic and modernly innovative to be unique and catch your ear. "strawberry ice cream" is a cute, quirky and flirty song about having a dangerous love interest but not caring.

red lights

"red lights" is all about being unphased and in control. Alessiah isn't letting anyone or anything bother her, and is confident in herself and her choices. Everyone else's loss is her gain. With a heavy production and instrumentation, Alessiah sings with a conversational tone. There's a Carnatic vibe in the riffs and instrumental choices between the strings and horns, giving it a diverse and sensual atmosphere.

boy toy

Ah! She bites! "boy toy" is about how men think they're big and strong until they meet a powerful woman like Alessiah, who shows them how inadequate they really are. This sensual and mysterious song has a stomp and clap beat, with a vibe that is perfect for a club atmosphere. It's pop perfection, with a hook that will inevitably get stuck in your head. Similar to "red lights", it has a Carnatic type of scale in the melody and in some of the riffs, giving it an ethnic feel and even more of a mystifying tone. Now, if we were to listen to the standard album, this would be the last track, which is a fantastic, energetic outro. However...

girls - bonus track (feat. RYAA & Luana Genevieve)

We are in fact including the incredible bonus track featuring artists RYAA and Luana Genevieve. This bisexual anthem is super hype. With sensual, sexy layered vocals and a super heavy instrumental production inspired by nostalgic 2000's RnB, "girls" will definitely have you in your feels, whether you like girls or boys.

The whole time I was listening to Alessiah's debut album, all I could think was how I haven't heard anything like it before - and I mean that in the best way possible. Alessiah has managed to create a style and sound that is completely and uniquely her own at barely the age of 18 years old, and that is so impressive. Not only that, but it's music that is passionate, emotional and relatable. They're songs that can connect with people on all sorts of levels. The maturity and distinguished effort put into this album are already beyond Alessiah's years, but she's already said it herself that this is still only the beginning for her. That being said, I can only be extremely excited for her future and what is yet to come. If you loved Alessiah's album, make sure to follow her below to keep up on her journey and to listen to the rest of her incredible discography!

Written By Kaitlyn Nicole

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