Anjalts – “Are U Ok”

Anjalts – “Are U Ok” – Single Review

Alrighty…we’ve got the Alternative sounds of Anjalts in the mix today, with a brand-new single called “Are U Ok” – let’s see what I can tell ya…

At first glance, it seems as if she’s having her most productive year as an artist so far.  In the world according to Spotify, she released three singles in both 2020 & 2021 as she emerged online, and followed that up with a five the following year in 2022.  As far as 2023 is concerned, it seems like Anjalts has been making music around the clock with a debut fifteen-song album, and more singles already released surrounding it that total her highest output in any year so far to-date.  Y’all creative-types know what it’s like when you’re inspired, immersed, and invested into your art – it’s like the whole universe snaps right into place, and things start to come so much easier.  You’re feeling the flow, just like Anjalts.  ”Are U Ok” is her latest single that’s out there, and from what I’ve read, it sounds like she’s already got another song planned to be released before the end of this month.  It’s highly impressive to see how much music is being made as this musical multi-talent continues to establish her name within the scene.

As far as first impressions go, this experience with Anjalts was a bit of a mix for myself personally.  I will say that I was instantly interested and engaged with the music as “Are U Ok” started up – there are some seriously killer textures and tones in this song, and right away you can tell that Anjalts is the type of artist that prefers to blaze her own trail.  Nothing about “Are U Ok” sounds typical as it starts with its extended instrumental intro and she proudly presents a smorgasbord of clashing tones and dynamic ideas that seem designed to continually morph into something unique & different – and I dig all that.  From what sounds like a clever combination of digital-meets-analog vibes, “Are U Ok” definitely reveals the potential of the music of Anjalts, which is pretty limitless if I’m being real with ya.  She’s obviously got a lot of talent…she’s certainly fearless when it comes to the kind of art she wants to create…and her range of sound could take her into Rock, Trip Hop, Dream Pop…and the list could pretty much go on & on.  So she’s got plenty of options, and she clearly knows how to get your attention with the music she’s making based on the palette of sounds she’s working with – all of these are assets for her future ahead.

When the vocals come into play, my opinion starts to vary a bit.  Don’t get it twisted – it’s clear that Anjalts CAN sing, but I do feel like that’s the spot in her music that presents the most opportunity for her to continue her evolution as an artist.  Where the consistency you wanna hear in the music is always present, the vocals tend to fluctuate in quality by comparison – sometimes Anjalts sounds right into it, and other times, she’s letting the tone of her voice color just a bit too far outside of the lines, know what I mean?  As listeners, we wanna hear the same killer instincts she brings to her music on the microphone as well…that same level of focus, passion, intent, and purpose – that’s the goal.  Like I said, there are moments where you can clearly hear she’s putting that into the performance, and there are other spots where it feels like she’s drifting a bit.  More than anything else – I think she’s gotta be mindful of the fact that her music is remarkably unique, and when she’s writing her vocal parts, we’re again kind of looking for that same level of innovation to match.  Her verses on this particular single seem a bit too standard by comparison to the music, in my opinion.  The chorus hooks are kind of in that same vein too – but I’d say she’s got something catchy enough that we’d probably overlook the normalness we find there.  In “Are U Ok,” you’ll find a little bit of backup vocals in the mix…and honestly, that’s probably my favorite part when it comes to Anjalts singing – because it’s in those moments that you actually hear her potential that much more.  She’s less worried about designing the verse/chorus/verse and finding something that’ll fit, and instead, she’s simply singing what seems to come to mind – and that’s where the magic for this artist is going to end up becoming reality.  I feel like the less that Anjalts concentrates on doing things like they’ve been done typically in music already, the further she’s going to go.  I don’t mind the main hooks of “Are U Ok,” but I wouldn’t consider the vocal element of her song to be nearly as straight-up groundbreaking as her music & production are – that make sense?  So all we’re really looking for, is that last piece of the puzzle to be revealed…once she starts attacking the microphone with the same level of passion, interest, and innovation that she brings to her music, she’s gonna be all set & ready to rock speakers from one side of the map to the other.  Right now, she’s onto something…and that’s crucial in the early years of a career…you wanna plant seeds and grow a forest y’all – and she’s got all the right ingredients goin’ on to make that happen.  I wanna hear that same level of fearlessness she has applied to the music in her voice as well…I feel like that spark we wanna find is missing a bit from “Are U Ok,” but I feel like there’s also a great chance that every time we hear something new from Anjalts she’s likely doing something completely different than the last time too.  It’s all about conviction dear readers, dear friends…she’s got plenty in her music, and we wanna hear it in her vocals as well.  As it stands, “Are U Ok” is definitely enough to get me interested, but my gut tells me that Anjalts is still just scratching the surface of what she’s capable of as an artist, and that her best music is still ahead of her in the future to follow.  She’s clearly inspired to create and obviously loves being an artist, so as long as she continues to try different methods, experiment with new things, and be fearless when it comes to her performances, she’ll end up reaching that next level with her music in no time at all, mark my words.

Find out more about Anjalts from her official website at:  https://anjalts.com

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