Canadian singer Nemahsis released her first album in 2024, Verbathim. The themes are self-love and contemplation (occasionally combined with cycle-breaking).
The music is Alternative. The album has a fun 90s/2000s vibe with a bold sound. It beautifully blends contemporary sounds with some Middle Eastern-style beats. The compositions are phenomenal. The team of musicians and composers did incredible work on this album.
The record has heartfelt ballads. The song old body, new mind has a slow yet upbeat sound that feels hopeful. The beat is like guitar meets ukelele. The tune fine print features fantastic piano playing in the background, with a smooth, gradual increase in tempo. It parallels The Beatles’ Here Comes The Sun. The tune i borrow happiness from tomorrow has an intense ukelele-style sound that creates a sense of suspense. The acoustic music is remarkable. The beat parallels Bohemian Rhapsody but with a slower tempo. The song dead giveaway has this boldly intense, fast beat. It reminds me of musical styles similar to Oasis’s single Wonderwall, The Cranberries ’90s hit Linger, and Alanis Morrissette’s 90s hit Hand In My Pocket. It blends Alternative with some Pop. The piece spinning plates has slow, subtle music that parallels Jann Arden and Sinead O’Connor. It has a bold 90s vibe. The song Chemical Mark has a Middle Eastern sound. Its intense music reflects sadness and heartache. It also parallels The Cranberries’ single Zombies but with a more low-key tempo.
Other tracks have a fantastic, semi-fast beat. The tune you wore it better has a catchy, dynamic beat. It reminds me of the early musical works of No Doubt and Moby. The piece, coloured concrete, has a lovely, wavy rhythm. Its impressive blend of musical styles parallels The Police’s single Every Breath You Take and some of Nirvana’s early works. The song miss construed has a a 70s-style beat with a Beatles vibe. It also reminds me of Christina Perri’s 2011 single Arms. The acoustic guitar creates an intimate vibe. It feels calming and contemplative. The tune delusion has an impressive mix of Middle Eastern-style beats and Alternative music. The violin playing fast in the background is a great touch, complementing the bold tempo changes. The synthesizer and guitar add another fantastic layer. It has an impressive musical passage during the third verse that parallels Queen’s 1991 hit Innuendo (but with a slightly slow tempo).
The song furniture killer has intense drums that remind me of Avril Lavigne’s early singles. The tempo transition parallels David Bowie’s 80s single Let’s Dance but with a contemporary Alternative sound. The competition is bold. The tune stick of gum has an impressive musical structure with an Oriental-style beat. It also parallels Feist’s 2007 single 1234 and Alanis Morrissette’s single Ironic but with a slow tempo. It has an excellent xylophone style and a bold guitar ending.
The songs beautifully blend different genres smoothly and harmoniously.
Nemahsis’s voice is bold and powerful. She sings every song passionately, and her vocal style is remarkable. For example, when she performs spinning plates, her singing reminds me of Alicia Keys’ early works. Another example is when she performs stick of gum; it reminds me of Alanis Morrissette.
The lyrics are profound and poetic, with an incredible feeling of empowerment. Each song is expressive and full of passion.
Some pieces cover an essential topic of self-love, which Nehmasis does well. The song old body, new mind is about embracing a new mindset and a time of self-reflection. She impressively uses the “a little goes a long way” approach to writing. The song miss construed is a clever play on words and boldly describes how to outsmart those who underestimate you. It has a positive message of not caring what others think. The song i borrow happiness from tomorrow is about living in the moment and taking life one day at a time.
Other songs focus on contemplation and occasionally combine them with the theme of cycle-breaking. The tune you wore it better is a profound piece about the struggle not to compare oneself to others. It has genuinely raw emotions and a beautiful vulnerability. The song coloured concrete is a heartfelt piece about having a sense of hope and determination. It also describes the nostalgia from remembering the days of youth. The piece fine print discusses the odd and sudden changes from invisible to visible to others. Nemahsis implies the pros and cons of being invisible. That sentiment of having mixed emotions is well-described. The song delusion is a clever tune about struggling with reality mixed with illusions. The words are impactful and relatable, thinking it’s easier to stick with distraction and lies – rarely a good idea, which is the song’s message.
The piece dead giveaway is a bold song about breaking cycles, courageously choosing not to conform and losing oneself in a crowd.The tune spinning plates is remarkable, and it’s about authenticity, being true to oneself, and never selling out to anyone. The song furniture killer is an incredible metaphor with multiple layers of hidden meaning. It’s a well-written song that’s expressive and passionate. It honours the idea to stick to one’s principles and to stand up to those who mean harm. There’s a bold message of courage. The tune stick of gum is an impressive tune about authenticity, politics, and following one’s heart. The words pack incredible depth to express profound emotions. The deep meaning can be conveyed by reading between the lines. The poetry – freestyle poetry is suitable for a piece like this. The song chemical mark ends the album with a note of contemplation and political commentary, expressing profound pain. This piece is thought-provoking yet full of raw emotions. It’s another song with a powerful impact.
The lyrics of each song are well-thought-out, and each word has its impact in conveying a profound range of emotions and messages. It’s a remarkable record.
The album Verbathim is available.
Side Note
The title of each song is written in minuscule letters, as on Nemahsis’s album. I wrote the same way.
