Toronto dark pop artist ari hicks returns with a six-track riveting new EP all about reclaiming your power. Entitled It’s Not That Deep: Chapter 1, the just shared intoxicating musical journey is a collection of stories about strong female characters and an ode to the villain era.
It’s Not That Deep: Chapter 1 begins with “Romeo Dies” a tale of corrupted love, a type of love that leads to death and abandonment of oneself. With lyrics including “Love is never easy / same old boring story that you heard before / hate to be the one to break it love kills a little at a time, then a little more”, ari hicks foretells a time and true story of lust, cheating and ultimate pain.
Sonically, “Romeo Dies” thrills with captivating seductive R&B melodies, soul-drenched vocals and witty lyrics telling the tale of a lovers demise. Then there is “Two Sides”, an electro pop banger all about a double faced woman and the emotional upheaval her actions can cause. ari sings, “It’s tragic /Flippin’ your switch like it’s magic /Got a degree in dramatic /Baby, you bein’ erratic”. Bright synths, layered soaring harmonies and bubbly beats make “Two Sides” a delectable sonic masterpiece.
Perhaps the strongest song on the EP is “Sucker,” a track all about a female vampire whose favorite meal is disrespectful men. ari hicks brings a brutal lyrical assault with the narrator taunting her interest. She has an appetite for sex and for a little fun and is in total control of the situation. Cinematic swelling synths are under distorted vocals singing soaring melodies making “Sucker” a blazing electro pop standout.
ari hicks began releasing music in 2020 with her debut single “Nothin but a Monster,” Since then, the prolific singer/songwriter has shared an array of releases that effortlessly blend pop, ectronic, alt R&B and rock. It’s Not That Deep: Chapter 1 is the first taste from her forthcoming album It’s Not That Deep which is “an all encompassing soundtrack of entering your Villain Era.” confides ari.
