Alison Wonderland has just unveiled her newest studio album ‘Loner’. Speaking to us, she stated: “Every time I write a new album I try to push myself as a songwriter, vocalist, and musician and I really do believe I’ve done this most on this album.”
Baring her emotions, Alison Wonderland is going it alone on new studio album ‘Loner‘, as the name would suggest. No collaborations, no features, or any vocalists apart from herself, she has put the focus purely on her own talents and is baring her soul. The 13-track album has been released via EMI Records and we’re delving into it, track by track.
Forever
Album opener ‘Forever’ is one of the tracks that was picked as a single, giving fans a teaser of the full body of work ahead of time. A great example of how she is always transparent with the hard times she faces in her personal life, she always manages to translate this into a therapeutic piece of song which in turn acts as a comfort blanket to her fanbase, who may also experience tough times. Back in April when it was released, she posted a story about the track, where her friend told her “it will feel like forever until it doesn’t”, hence the overall theme for this beautiful track. Empowering, this is the perfect indicator as to what Alison Wonderland has given fans on ‘Loner’.
Safe Life
Opening up this track with delicate, violin tones, a soft yet powerful and elevating percussion enters with the echoing vocals of hers, which are on top form as always. ‘Safe Life’ is one of the tracks where it feels as though she is not holding anything back, letting out her unfiltered emotions into the world which makes for a heavy-hitting, impactful track. With lyrics talking about looking to the future, it is also an inspiring vocal-led track with a complex drop.
Fuck U Love U
The deep and dark ‘Fuck U Love U’, premiered at Red Rocks, couldn’t have been a better representation of what was to come for the rest of this album. An earth-shattering drop accompanied by the relatable lyrics “Fuck U, Love U, Hate U, Want U” resound, showcasing complex feelings that everyone has come to know at some point. Highlighting the themes of polarity and duality of man, it’s a track that shows her prowess and power as an established vocalist and producer.
Image credit: Jared Tinetti
New Day
The interestingly western inspired ‘New Day’ was another one of the singles ahead of the full release, and saw high praise. With a music video which showcased western themes, complimenting the subtle tones found in the plucky guitar notes and echoing synths, ‘New Day’ is a story of hope. Explaining that she’s in love with a new day, it gives the sense that no matter how hard times can get, there is always a new and better day to look forward to. A swirling, punchy drop kicks in to elevate the soundscape to brand new heights, and is no doubt one of the standouts of many on ‘Loner’.
I’m Doing Great Now Thanks (Interlude)
The haunting, echoing first interlude of ‘Loner’, titled ‘I’m Doing Great Now Thanks’ is a trippy, cinematic way to take listeners into the second part of the album with a breakdown of epic proportions, which will have people moving their body without even realising it. The title speaks for itself, and the ending with its vocals played backwards is another example of Wonderland’s great initiative to provide a unique listening experience.
Down The Line
Starting off as an acoustic piece, seeming to stray away from the electronic element for at least the opening part of this track, she allows her vocals to do the work on this. Providing a simple yet effective soundscape, it then builds up into goosebump-inducing layers of sounds which will leave no one with dry eyes. “I’m gonna be okay down the line, I’m gonna be okay this time” are the lyrics that will stick in the minds of listeners long after ‘Loner’ is over, with Alison Wonderland creating an emotive anthem that proves that the dark times are needed, no matter how it feels in the moment. Not only an incredible listening experience, ‘Down The Line’ sends an incredibly important message.
Something Real
‘Something Real’ isn’t a dance anthem, more like one of those tracks where you can escape life for a few minutes again and soothe the thoughts inside your head. A major aspect of the album, this track is one of the rawest examples of Wonderland being able to so smoothly translate human experiences into music like no other artist, and whilst she can conjure up insane dancefloor fillers, she is also more than capable of bringing us calm and beautiful moments like this.
Image credit: Simply G
Eyes Closed
A lot different than the previous offerings that we’ve heard so far, the haunting ‘Eyes Closed’ steps into drum & bass territory with a fast-paced soundscape set to get the dancefloor pulsating in time to the rhythm. In the second half of the track, this is where the recognisable Wonderland vocals kick in, offering a lighter dynamic before the second drop comes in to further shake things up. This one showcases yet another side of her insane production skills.
Bad Things
Taking us to church with this anthem, Wonderland tells us not to fall in love with the ‘Bad Things’ on this track, and we’re hanging on to her every word. With this one, the drop is almost reminiscent of her older sound found on previous bodies of work and feels perfectly nostalgic. Although this was released back in 2020, it still feels completely fresh and is a perfect fan favourite to strengthen this album.
Thirst
We have a ‘Thirst’ for a banging track, and luckily this one has quenched it. This multi-genre dynamic soundscape has us hitting the repeat button. Starting with a buildup that has listeners on the edge of their seats, the drop is packed with attitude, with Wonderland demanding to be heard in full force. It goes without saying that she has everyone’s attention with this track.
Cocaine
The tongue-in-cheek ‘Cocaine’ is set to be the next biggest empowering breakup anthem, for those who want to let out pent up rage and just scream out into the world. Although softly sung, this shouldn’t be mistaken for delicate in any way, as there’s a rockstar aura that is delivered along with this track, being highly therapeutic to listen to and sing along to.
Fear Of Dying
This is a track that fans have already become well accustomed to, breaking the 2 million stream mark on Spotify alone. ‘Fear Of Dying’, also premiered at her 2021 Red Rocks show, is a track that unpacks the anxiety and crippling fear of losing someone close to you, dealing with universally relatable themes. Infectious synth blips go hand in hand with the dark themes.
Loner
Sadly coming to the end of what is no less than a masterpiece, beautiful title track ‘Loner’ is an unforgettable closer to an incredible listening journey. Once again opening up in an admirable way, her skilful songwriting is evident more than ever here, with lyrics that tug on the heartstrings in an overwhelming way, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. “It’s okay to cry” she tells her fans and the world, making sure they know that they’re not alone.
Alison Wonderland’s ‘Loner’ is out now, and you can stream it here or below on Spotify.
Featured image credit: Press
