Ashnikko returns with Smoochies, an album that feels like an unapologetic burst of color in a grayscale world. Bold, funny, and emotionally raw, the record marks a full-circle moment for the 29-year-old singer — one where fantasy gives way to authenticity. It’s chaotic, heartfelt, and defiantly human. In one word: it’s Ashnikko.
Her debut album WEEDKILLER was a high-concept odyssey through post-apocalyptic power and rage; Smoochies is its brighter, more playful sibling, abandoning the sci-fi setting of its predecessor. At its core, the LP is about radical joy — the kind that rejects perfection and embraces every weird, wonderful contradiction of being alive. “It’s sexy and playful and feminine, while at the same time refusing to be a sexual object for men,” Ashnikko says.
The album’s production is its heartbeat, oscillating between glittery pop, distorted club beats, and aching ballads. Longtime collaborator Tom Slinger joins a powerhouse list of producers and writers — from Skyler Stonestreet (Dua Lipa, Tate McRae) to Elvira Anderfjärd (Taylor Swift, Katy Perry) — creating a soundscape that’s as experimental as it is catchy.
Lyrically, Ashnikko dives into heartbreak, queerness, body image, and identity with sharp wit and disarming honesty. The album starts on a high note with “Smoochie Girl” and keeps the bar high as the listener goes on, with standout songs like “Liquid,” “Skin Cleared,” and “Trinkets.” After fourteen high-energy tracks, Ashnikko closes Smoochies by slowing things down. The final track, “It Girl,” wraps the record with a quiet reflection on validation and the pressure to perform femininity.
Keep reading as we rank the best songs from Ashnikko’s Smoochies!
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