Canadian sonic visionary Aiko Tomi has never been your typical pop character. Rather, she’s been proudly championing a unique, quirky and highly futuristic image, managing to stand out in an over-crowded industry. Of course, that’s firstly true for her music: rejecting pre-determined formulas and commercial clichés, the Torontonian fiercely pursues a hypnotising blend of hyper-pop, leftfield electronica, synthwave and art pop.
That’s where the project shines the most: in its kaleidoscopic references. In fact, Aiko Tomi doesn’t sound like anyone else – it’s the classic example of a brave creative, pushing the boundaries of contemporary music forward. To celebrate the plethora of singles she’s been steadily releasing since 2020, the Canadian talent now unveils her debut album – ‘Animal’s Awake’ – an 11-track long record taking the listeners on an Aiko Tomi masterclass – and it’s worth it.
Introduced by title track ‘Animal’s Awake’, the album sets the tone for what’s to come, engaging in sleazy beats, leftfield electronica and understated vocals. Quite a stark contrast with follow-up ‘Handful’, the first hyper-pop gem to bless the record. ‘Fit’ take a round trip in retro wave and synthesised nostalgia. ‘Gladly’ returns to obscure, unexpected electronica. From here on, the listener is on its own: embrace the journey.
Lyrically, ‘Animal’s Awake’ combines Tomi’s introspection and life experiences, creating a veiled coming-of-age masterpiece. As she explains: “Animal’s Awake is a collection of fierce, playful, hopeful tunes to fire up your inner MSG baddie. This album has a bit of something different for every spicy-wholesome dumpling… if you’re Umami AF, this is for you”
Recommended! Discover ‘Animal’s Awake’ on Spotify:
