“Tanners makes energetic psych-pop with melodies eager to worm their way in your head” – FADER
“Magic practically bounces off of every single note as Tanners claws you downwards into the underwater disco, a surly place of desire and decadence” – The Line of Best Fit
“Electronics and synths that sound like waves gently crashing and receding on the beach…” – Stereogum
New York electro-pop artist and producer Tanners confronts her darker side in new single ‘Heavy Metals’, following the releases of the extra-terrestrial ‘Venus’ and pop heavyweight ‘Fumes’.
With support from FADER, NYLON and Stereogum behind her previous singles, Tanners and long-term collaborators Mike Mccallister and Julie Hardy (Donna Missal) have crafted a sensually dark depiction of depression, through her unique production skills and artistry, reminiscent of Tame Impala and Tove Lo.
Describing her ongoing struggle with mental health since childhood, she explains “I hadn’t experienced intense bouts of depression until my twenties. It’s really tough and even embarrassing at times to talk candidly about how dark you feel without getting the wide-eyed, concerned look from friends and creative collaborators.”
This numbness permeated Tanner’s writing, the lyrics becoming solely about wanting to feel something, “even if it’s painful or self-destructive.” For ‘Heavy Metals’ this translates into sexuality: “I take the hurt and make it sexual, pleasure and pain just like a ritual”, the lyrics reflecting the constant conflict between apathy and yearning.
The track is soaked in sinister synths, with a heady blend of heavy percussion and gritty guitar riffs, a sonic manifestation of Tanners’ attempts to escape what she describes as being “stuck in a depression k-hole”. The result is an ominous, thunderous track that still makes you want to dance.
For Tanners, ‘Heavy Metals’ remains a snapshot for a darker time in her life: “As I slowly began feeling more like myself, I started thinking, “Did I really feel that bad? Am I just a big ole baby who can’t handle hardship?” So, this song is a reminder that I wasn’t exaggerating or making it all up and that I was eventually able to pull myself out of the trenches.”
One of the darker pop tracks in her catalogue, with ‘Heavy Metals’ Tanners once again proves her dynamism and authenticity in pop music.
‘Heavy Metals’ is available on all online platforms from 1st August.
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