Graham Reid | | 1 min read
Take Care of Me
From time to time Elsewhere will single out a recent release we recommend on vinyl, like this which comes with full credits on an insert sheet, a fold out lyric sheet and a framable cover.
Check out Elsewhere's other Recommended Record picks . . .
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If we're honest, few artists are wholly original or have the capacity to surprise. Most work in familiar, codified genres (pop, heavy metal, country, R'n'B) and although they may bring distinctive lyrics or a vocal style they are constrained by their genre.
However -- regardless of what you think of them -- Bjork, Yoko Ono, Tagaq, the late David Thomas of Pere Ubu and Anohni are unique voices in the broad church of contemporary music.
Into this select company we introduce the visually striking Californian Annahstasia Enuke – also a model – who has a low, husky folk-jazz vocal style of deep, trembling expression on Tether, her musically spare folk-soul debut.
Here are the beautiful Unrest, fragile Take Care of Me, the almost-pop of Waiting and the gripping, oceanic roll of Overflow.
When given a wider sonic setting of electric guitars and a rhythm section, as on the six minute Believer, she has reference points in the quivering style of Joan Armatrading and the power ballads of Toni Childs. With a yearning ache (“I've been lonely . . . can I be lonely here with you”) she soars into R'n'B gospel.
But it is her quiet, measured style – at times placing her on a nicotine-cured spectrum between Marianne Faithfull, Billie Holiday and Nick Drake – where an exhalation sounds like a holy moment.
These are crafted, self-aware songs of love and the ambiguous emotions when it goes: From “take care of me. I'm porcelain sitting on your highest shelf. (on Take Care of Me) to “pains more than usual and my anchor's no longŠµr useful here” on Slow with Nigerian singer Obongjayar.
As Is. Will Be. As It Was features singer-poet Aja Monet on a spoken-word piece which is a bit boho-coffee bar, but fits Annahstasia's lyric-driven style.
Annahstasia is not as challenging as those names mentioned above.
But she is a distinctively intimate artist and memorable voice just waiting for you to discover.
One for the "best of 2025" list.
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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here. It is also available on CD and coloured vinyl through Southbound Records, Auckland here.
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