BANKS has staged a stunning return to music with her fifth studio album, Off With Her Head. It is more collaborative and ambitious than her previous work, featuring guest spots by Grammy-winning rapper Doechii, and French pop singer Yseult.
Off With Her Head opens with the haunting track “Guillotine,” with eerie synths and distorted electronic elements. The sharp lyric “Put the tape on your mouth and your head on the block” immediately grabs attention and gives a theatrical vibe. BANKS then transitions into the high-energy single “I Hate Your Ex-Girlfriend” featuring Doechii. This deconstructed house track highlights Doechii’s dynamic delivery alongside pulsating beats.
Mid-album, BANKS turns to intimacy and heartbreak. “Move” features Yseult in a seductive duet supported by otherworldly harmonies and a hypnotic French verse. “Best Friends,” alternatively, picks up the pain of losing a good friend. BANKS described this song herself as an ode to the complications of the loss of friendship, something music is too often afraid to touch on.
BANKS has referred to “Off With Her Head” as a “big sister album” to her debut album Goddess. Working with essential musicians and producers from her initial career, she strikes a balance between nostalgia and innovation. Keeping the emotional grittiness of Goddess, the album shows the development of the artist and person over the last ten years.
