Recommended Tracks: “Living”, “Dead To You”, “Getting Even”
Artists You May Like: Olivia Lunny, Nessa Barrett, Maggie Lindemann
Fans of Canadian alt-pop artist Vi know that she creates dark beats and sings honest lyrics like nobody else. Having crafted such brooding music since her teenage years, Vi has become an expert in pairing heartbreak and complex situations with delicate and vulnerable melodies. After taking a brief hiatus from music, Vi came back stronger than ever with fresh releases like “Dead To You,” which highlighted a more aggressive sound for her. Ready to embrace this new sound and start anew, Vi is fully letting go of her past with her edgy debut album, Afterlife.
Throughout Afterlife, Vi seems to be speaking to another person or people, making sure no words are left unsaid. On the opening track “Living,” for instance, Vi makes it clear that she is better off without a certain someone in her life. Over potent dark pop production, she sings, “You can’t handle the thought of me” and “I’m living and you don’t fit in,” trusting that whoever she is addressing will take the hint, stay away, and forget her. We also have the melodic “Getting Even,” in which Vi slyly sets the record straight on a past relationship. She does her best to even the score, and with lines like “Don’t get it twisted” and “Don’t play the victim,” she does not allow any room for debate.
Even though Vi is finding closure with significant figures from her past, there are times when she still gets caught up in her own feelings. On the syncopated “Victim,” she mentions, “I’ll always be your victim,” concluding that there is no escaping the memories she has of this other person. The damage will always be felt on an emotional level, which we also hear on tracks such as “Pick A Side” and “Sleep Through.” On the former, Vi sings, “You hardened up my defenses” and “I don’t love the same,” causing her to wonder if she will ever be able to “sleep through” the night on the latter. By describing the lingering thoughts she has and the way the memories influence her actions going forward, we better understand that finding closure is not as easy as making amends and carrying on like nothing happened.
Overall, Afterlife is not quite that hopeful, optimistic album you expect when you think of a “new life chapter” album. Instead of bright songs that focus on new beginnings and fresh starts, Vi sets a grittier, gloomier vibe by recounting the moments that have been haunting her. In doing so, however, she releases a lot of what has been preventing her from embracing the next part of her life. In the end, Vi gets her main point across, which is to push through the hardships so that you can take in the more enjoyable parts of life that you deserve.
You can listen to Afterlife on platforms like Spotify, SoundCloud, and Apple Music.
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