When K! interviewed Pagan a few weeks back, Nikki spoke of a desire to see her music empower fans to be true to themselves and not stray from the path they want to follow in life. “You should be authentic to who you are and embrace it,” she told us. Well, Black Wash has backed up those words by announcing Pagan as one of the most original and genre-bending new bands to recently emerge.
Despite her music’s strength, there remains an affecting aura of vulnerability to Nikki’s performance as the album draws to a close, when she screams, ‘Someone save me’, in the record’s final moments. It’s a moving moment, but she doesn’t need saving. Her and her bandmates’ debut album is one of the year’s most triumphant and exciting releases, and they’ll put a spell on you before you know it.
Words: Jake Richardson
Black Wash is out now on Hassle Records. Check it out in full on the stream below.