After half a year of musical silence, Banks makes a triumphant comeback with Fuck With Myself, an ultra-sultry, witch-pop affair reminiscent of her anti-pop contemporary, FKA Twigs. Released as the lead single from her much-anticipated sophomore effort (due 30th September), the track premiered as Zane Lowe’s World Record on Beats 1 Radio. An anthem of self-ownership and empowerment, the track expertly blends the smooth R&B tenor of her debut effort, Goddess, with a refreshing, newly obtained self-confidence that was lacking in her previous singles.
“’Cause I fuck with
myself more than anybody else” Banks proclaims over conspicuously minimalist,
distorted ticks and beats, “I used to care what you think about me.”
Self-assurance isn’t something we’ve come to expect from Banks (her last
single, the smoldering Better, found her at her most hopeless yet), so it’s uplifting
to observe how she has developed both as an individual and as an artist during
the production of her upcoming record.
The complimenting visual,
directed by Philippa Price (Rihanna’s 2016 Brit Awards Performance), is as
surreal and gloomy as the track itself. In a dream-like sequence, Banks
caresses, assaults, and eventually burns a life-like model of her head, whilst simultaneously
dancing eerily with sentient mannequins of herself in a vacant building. It’s a
deliciously abstract representation of the song’s meaning, and easily her finest
music video to date.
Fuck With Myself is a
jubilant return from one of alternative pop’s most underrated artists. Drenched
in ambience, if this release doesn’t make you excited for what
Banks has to offer next, we don’t know what will.
9/10
