Banks - Serpentina
1xLP on White Vinyl
Three years, a global pandemic, and a diagnosis of an autoimmune disorder between albums, Californian alternative R&B singer/songwriter Banks returned with plenty to express on her fourth set, Serpentina. Named for the skin-shedding rebirth of the titular reptilian inspiration, the LP is sonically consistent with her previous albums, draping her icy cool vocals over electro-hip-hop production that skitters, slides, and soothes across over a dozen tracks. Banks' voice remains the main draw, a finely honed instrument that can convey both deep heartbreak ("Deadend") and rapturous longing ("Anything 4 U"). Serpentina starts strong with the more pulse-pounding moments, including the handclaps- and voice-sampling standout "Meteorite," the digitized aggression of the self-explanatory "Fuck Love," and the swirling, hollow-bass boom of "Holding Back." The mood soon turns with the haunted production of "The Devil," which recalls fellow Angelino Billie Eilish, and the back half of the album balances introspection and measured hope (the gospel-kissed "Spirit" with Samoht), sounding like a collision between the most subdued material from Tove Lo and Rihanna. While Serpentina manages to add some fresh highlights to Banks' catalog, it never veers too far from her established formula, for better or worse.
1. "Misunderstood" 1:41
2. "Meteorite" 4:17
3. "Fuck Love" 2:49
4. "Deadend" 3:55
5. "Holding Back" 3:52
6. "The Devil" 2:47
7. "Skinnydipped" 2:55
8. "Burn" 3:25
9. "Birds by the Sea" 3:00
10. "Spirit" (featuring Samoht) 2:29
11. "Anything 4 U" 3:06
12. "Unleavable" 4:15
13. "I Still Love You" 2:55