NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Maria Uzor ‘Ventolin’
4 July 2023
It was challenging to approach PinkPantheress’ debut studio album, ‘Heaven Knows,’(Warner UK) with any bold expectations. This isn’t a negative point; rather, she has cultivated a sound that is both nostalgic and filled with reminiscence, yet distinctly hers. While ‘to hell with it’ showcased her prowess as a viral hitmaker in the TikTok age— whether intentional or not—cementing her style with sentimental and ironically cheesy lyrics over beats influenced by 90s DnB, garage, and breakbeat loops. The songs are notably short, rarely exceeding the 2-minute mark, but in an era of growing impatience, this worked in her favour. I like to characterise it as bedroom pop on pills.
Despite not releasing a new full-length project in 2022, Pantheress remained active with collaborations featuring Lil Uzi Vert, WILLOW, Sam Gellarity, Shygirl, and Mura Masa. With each drop, she consistently sparked interest and excitement in the UK music scene. Each release sounded cleaner in the mix, culminating in a significant collaboration with her viral counterpart across the pond, Ice Spice, propelling her into worldwide stardom. This timing couldn’t have been more perfect for the release of her highly anticipated debut album.
‘Heaven Knows’ continues to highlight Pantheress’ strengths and advancements in production, but arguably, it’s her abilities as a curator and collaborator that are truly noteworthy in this delightful debut. She brings in an eclectic array of producers and artists, all of whom operate within their unique spaces, including Working on Dying’s BNYX and F1lthy, London on da Track, Danny L Harle, Greg Kurstin, Central Cee, Rema, and Kelela. All of them seamlessly fit into Pantheress’ vision like pieces of a puzzle.
Upon the initial listen, it becomes apparent that there is a significant increase in quality and fulfilment. The songs on ‘Heaven Knows’ are structurally denser in terms of lyrics and production. While the loops and breakbeats that defined her earlier projects are still present, they no longer dominate every song, representing a classy evolution in her sound. The beats feel more fleshed out than I had anticipated, leading me into an adventure of unpredictability
Right from the start with ‘Another Life,’ expectations take an unexpected turn. It opens with a grand gothic orchestral composition, immersing you in an ascent toward an ethereal state that complements the lyrical narrative of a lover’s death. As the chorus unfolds, a fusion of genres interweaves seamlessly, ranging from K-pop to Ambient and jazzy DnB. Rema contributes a brief and somewhat underwhelming verse toward the end of the song, leaving a desire for Pantheress to reclaim the mic.
‘True Romance,’ featuring an interpolation of McFly’s ‘Five Colours in Her Hair,’ is sure to trigger nostalgia alarms for some listeners. Pantheress chronicles a fan’s love and obsession with a performing artist over a cute bedroom-pop-punk backdrop. It may border on the creepy, but the joyfulness of the instrumental prevents it from being completely unsettling, a characteristic Pantheress has maintained since the early days of her career. ‘Just For Me’ follows a similar juxtaposition.
‘Mosquito’ and ‘The Aisle’ pick up the momentum nicely, with the latter standing out for its heavy disco influence, reminiscent of Dua Lipa’s ‘Future Nostalgia.’ (Warner) It incorporates futuristic 808s that flutter around the beat, shifting in and out of focus at their whim. Central Cee joins Pantheress on the next track, ‘Nice to Meet You,’ a fitting collaboration given Cench’s interpolation and sampling of Pantheress in one of his major songs, ‘Obsessed with You.’ His feature aligns well with the theme of love and regret as he raps about the end of his relationship with social media influencer Madeline Argy. He navigates through denial, regret, and acceptance with a well-paced delivery. Cash Cobain’s infusion of chill Drill and Trap seamlessly accommodates both artists, working fluidly within the collaboration.
‘Bury Me’ features stellar production from BNYX, one of the most in-demand producers currently in the industry. He received praise from industry legend Zane Lowe on his Beats1 radio show for his work on this record. Pantheress and Kelela effortlessly navigate the descending basslines of BNYX.
‘Internet Baby (Interlude)’ sees Pantheress addressing issues with obsessive fans, an unfortunately unavoidable challenge for artists in today’s world where surveillance is omnipresent. ‘Ophelia’ continues this dark sequence of tracks. Here, Pantheress sings about being murdered by a lover for not treating them better, drawing inspiration from the imagery of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This track truly showcases her prowess as an artist because a song this dark shouldn’t be as beautiful as it is.
‘Feel Complete’ is another collaboration with Mura Masa but comes across as one of their weaker songs. While not inherently bad, except for some gorgeous string arrangements, it lacks the depth to keep me fully engaged. ‘Blue’ is another song that’s sure to trigger nostalgic feelings with an interpolation of ‘Kickstarts’ by Example, a track that most British music lovers in their 20s likely hold dear. The tune, produced by Scottish electronic producer Sam Gellaitry, who also produced ‘Picture in My Mind,’ turned out to be one of the biggest songs for both artists in 2022.
The album concludes on a grand note, running just shy of four minutes, which is unusually long for a PinkPantheress track. It immerses us in the dark psyche of a narrator determined to gain the love of someone who clearly doesn’t reciprocate the feelings. The track evolves from a retro-futuristic dance ballad into a booming distorted alt-rock finish, reminiscent of how Billie Eilish’s ‘Happier Than Ever’ concludes, though not as heavy and euphoric.
In conclusion, despite encountering some hurdles along the way, ‘Heaven Knows’ stands as a commendable debut for an artist whose ascent to stardom has been as rapid as it has been. The presented ideas are uniquely observed and executed with snippy confidence, adding a positive dimension to the energy and aura of this distinct and exciting artist.