Label: Domino
Released: 7th March 2025
Sasami has gone through quite the sonic journey. Her self-titled debut was a shoegaze fan’s greatest fantasy with its brooding guitars, melancholy lyrics and synth parts galore, while 2022’s ‘Squeeze’ embraced metal influences. ‘Blood on the Silver Screen’ is a departure from the heaviness found in her earlier work; it’s an all-out pop explosion about what happens when you let yourself lean into romance.
Opener ‘Slugger’ is packed full of pop culture references; star signs are responsible for her behaviour, and clever Dolly Parton and Steve Lacy name drops are woven in. Its melancholy lyrics layered over the fun, catchy beat make it akin to Robyn’s ‘Dancing On My Own’ in the fact it’s perfect for either dancing or crying to depending on how you’re feeling.
There’s a whole concoction of emotions going on. ’Love Makes You Do Crazy Things’ is SASAMI’s effort at a cheesy track about always being connected to a past lover even after the relationship ends, ‘In Love With a Memory’ has a feature from queen of sad pop bangers about relationships Clairo and an epic guitar solo, and ‘Honeycrash’ sees her yearn for her partner and question why the relationship had to end.
Love and intimacy go hand in hand, or so you would think. Forging meaningful relationships in a society reliant on dating apps is a challenge faced by many, ‘For the Weekend’ is a deep dive into the constraints placed on romance by the desire for short-term connections. She stays on with this sultry theme at different points through the album, with ‘Possessed’ being a get back at an ex of sorts; it’s the musical equivalent of posting an Instagram story you look fit in post break up because you know they’ll see it.
‘Blood on the Silver Screen’ strikes the perfect balance between getting over the heartbreak that occurs when a relationship ends and being able to celebrate the power that experiencing love and romance gives us as individuals.
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