Sometimes vulnerable, sometimes strong, Banks as she presents herself on her most recent release, The Altar, is never apologetic. With an electronic R and B sound and fiercely honest lyrics, The Altar embraces femininity without subscribing to any stereotypes.
The Altar is Banks’ second album, following her 2014 debut album Goddess. While Goddess effectively established Banks as a darker, grungier alternative to artists like Ellie Goulding and Kimbra, The Altar expands Banks’ emotional and stylistic range. Where Goddess is somewhat of a slow and steady album, The Altar bounces from the stripped down “Mother Earth” to the high-energy, defiant “Trainwreck”. Banks is less predictable in her sophomore effort, making for a more engaging, powerful album.
With The Altar, Banks is unconcerned with conforming to the “sad songstress” persona that characterized her earlier work. She explores a full range of emotion with equal confidence, and her lyrics suggest a newfound understanding of herself as an artist, particularly in the most experimental track on the album, “F**k With Myself.” The instrumentals, which range from electronic to orchestral, consistently provide a complex, intriguing backdrop to Banks’ driving vocals. Influences from The Weeknd, with whom Banks toured in 2013 and 2015, are present throughout The Altar, particularly in the tracks “Judas” and “This Is Not About Us”.
Ultimately, The Altar is successful because Banks delivers her artistic message with enough confidence to make listeners believe it. She delivers her music as a more fierce, multi-faceted woman than the Banks of her debut album, lending a dynamic quality to The Altar that brings something refreshing yet familiar to the indie music scene. The Altar is an empowering album, not only for listeners but also for Banks herself.
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