Album Review: Lilith

Who is this “other woman”, you may ask?

If you were to pose this question to TAMiii, day13n, and Taimana, who make up the trio Otherwoman, they may tell you different things. It could be about relationships that turned sour and feelings of being “othered”. It could be about the folklore surrounding Lilith, the first wife of Adam. Yes, the fella of “Adam and Eve”. It could be about how Lilith was cast out of heaven for refusing to submit. They might also say it’s about religion’s negative influence on perceptions of female sexuality.

But if there’s one thing they would agree on is that their three-piece act aims to, in their own words, “rock the boat, turn heads, and provoke pearl-clutching with sex-positive, anti-establishment rap, interwoven with earworm choruses and choir-like harmonies, delivered over grungy, guitar-heavy tracks”.

This is Otherwoman, and here’s their acknowledgement and celebration of all “other women”.

Lately, I’ve been indulging in a lot of music which bends and blends different genres, creating musical fusions that I had previously thought unlikely or impossible. So upon reading Otherwoman’s mission statement, I sat up in my seat, and eagerly clicked that play on Lilith.

Seeming to hold back their collective brawn and opting to draw on emotion, opening track Existential Crisis utilises layered, whispered vocals, and guitar strings over thumping electronic beats, evoking an eerie, introspective introduction to the record. The refrain of lyrics “Me, myself and I” appears to quite cleverly acknowledge the trio of musicians which make up Otherwoman.

The teaser single Lilith, the album’s namesake tune, boasts plenty of tempo changes, as well as shifts in the rhythms, dancing artfully from grime to garage to old-school hip-hop. Needless to say, there’s a tonne of creativity at play here. The female vocal deliveries are soaked in plenty of attitude, and lyrically take on the role of a present-day incarnation of Lilith. It’s a women-empowering ode to feminism, rightfully unconventional and delightfully creative.

At this point, I begin to wonder if that ‘c’ word is going to be a frequent occurrence throughout this review!

Songs like Mania and RIOT! (hey, isn’t that a Paramore album title?) feel deeply steeped in the influence of Canadian artist Grimes, as well as tinges of South African icons Die Antwoord. There are plenty of dancey moments in the shuffling beats, blended with hip-hop and even 90’s British alt-rock. By this stage, it’s clear that Otherwoman relish getting a little weird with their sound, particularly in the frantic vocals and distorted soundscapes heard on Mania. 

Themes of sex are prominent on Scream About You, serving up sensual lyrics amidst a dark, moody backdrop. Distorted rock guitars and pounding drums further drive the passion, as crooned male-led verses crossover with dual-vocal choruses, delivering a very 2000’s-esque alternative rock number. Those more inclined towards songs to headbang to, this one’s for you.

In a call for revolutionary action, Free (Me) takes shape initially as spoken word, a biting and thought-provoking criticism of capitalism, filled with anger and passion for change. Whilst it may come across preachy and uncomfortable for some, I have no doubts this was the band’s ultimate goal: To bring discomforting truths to the surface and explore them.

Then in a very prog-rock move, thunderous drums crack open the atmosphere, and distorted guitars roar, as haunting dual-vocals take over until the end of Free (Me). Pretty epic stuff!

Then in another gearshift, Broken Promises brings back that pop-punk bounce, infused with their signature, high-octane nu-metal sound that listeners by this point of the album should now be familiar with. Making another appearance is the confrontational discussion of inequality and social issues, driving home the reminder that Otherwoman are far from shy in making their political stances clear. This is a brave and enviable move, and I applaud the group for sticking to their guns, so to speak.

Lilith is wildly creative and sonically adventurous. The overall sounds run the gamut from moody and dark through to energetic and upbeat. There’s oodles of attitude and emotion in the lyrics, with frank and raw discussions of modern-day societal problems. Multiple genres are called on across the record, and the mixing up of styles differ vastly from song to song. This is, arguably, one of the more creative and well-crafted outings I’ve heard this year.

Sonically and thematically unique, Lilith stands out in its approach and execution, creating a deeply memorable listening experience from beginning to end.

Go on. Be challenged politically and musically, and embrace it all.

Get Lilith by Otherwoman on all platforms.