LA singer and guitarist, Annahstasia debuted weith Tether in a subtle chamber folk style backed by several collaborators, particularly multi-instrumentalists, Hailey Niswanger and Aaron Liao. The standout feature is certainly the vocals, reminiscent of Nina Simone, Tracy Chapman and Anohni of Antony and the Johnsons. The delicate vibrato colors the songs with a vulnerable quality, capable of accelerating emotional intensity when needed. The arrangements are subdued and drumless, mostly on guitar with subtle touches of orchestration. The songs are generally free-form and linear.
The album opens with the restrained ballad ‘Be Kind’ against Spanish guitar and organ. Then there is the ‘aquatic’ rapidly picked guitar and marching rhythm on Villain where the vocals build up a smouldering intensity. The swaying and sparse acoustic Take Care Of Me, bears a particularly vulnerable and aching vocal performance and lyrical pefromance. The orchestral soul of Slow, duetted with Obongjayar, is the . The brooding ballad Waiting boasts another powerful climax. Overflow leans too far into the Tracy Chapman comparisons. Satisfy Me meanwhile tries to recreate the freeform soundscapes of artists like Moses Sumney. The power ballad Believer (also with a full band backing) sounds out of context with its off-kilter wailing riff bringing the album to a bustling climax.
The vocals and to a lesser extent the guitarwork punctuate the best tracks. The weakness is that the arrangements come off as slightly contrived and the constant emotional climaxes become formulaic after a while. A decent debut album with lots of potential.
Label: drink sum wtr
Released: June 13, 2025
Losing My Edge Rating: 6/10
Best tracks: Villain, Unrest