Ashnikko – Smoochies

“Trinkets” sees Ashnikko turn casual dating into an art form, collecting men like shiny souvenirs as she sings about her pursuits over a chaotic, candy-coated beat.

Directed by Léa Esmaili, the music video gives us inside access to Ashnikko’s art nouveau candy coloured world brimming with doll parts, ashtrays, D&D dice and keychains of men. In a time where minimalism and clean girl aesthetic is on the rise, Ashnikko leans into maximalism as a form of expression.

Speaking on the ‘Trinkets’, Ashnikko says :”My little princess boys love being trinkets, hanging off my bag, looking up at me with smiles on their faces, swinging as I walk.”

Along with the new song, Ashnikko announces her new album Smoochies.

Ashnikko’s second album, Smoochies, is her most personal body of work to date. Following 2023’s debut WEEDKILLER, sonically it expands Ash’s distinct hybrid-pop sound while taking a significantly more autobiographical approach to lyrics. The 15-track album is a rebellious one, made from a place of radical joy at a time when the world has never felt more threatening for femmes and marginalized communities. In response, Ashnikko is taking up space by inhabiting a state of pure play. It’s absurd and grotesque, explicit and tender, sexy without an ounce of desire to perform for the male gaze.

Speaking on Smoochies: Smoochies feels like Demidevil’s older sister. It’s sexy, playful, and feminine, while toeing the line of grotesque and absurd. I feel like purse sediment so much of the time – like a mess of crumbs and gum in receipts and lipgloss that I’ve forgotten about – so the album feels like that too. This is the first where I’ve written very autobiographically, but at the core of it all is personal autonomy and joyful whimsy.

SMOOCHIES UK TOUR

February 11th – Glasgow – O2 Academy

February 14th – Manchester – Manchester Academy

February 17th – Dublin – 3Olympia

February 20th – London – O2 Academy Brixton

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