Brooklynite Madeline Kassen, originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, releases her music under the moniker Pisha. With a flair for avant-garde electro-pop tinged with a goth rock edge, Pisha fuses experimental sounds with power pop melodies that float above hypnotic rhythms.
Her latest release, WTF, is a quirky, frenetic mix of industrial, new wave, and dream pop influences. Imagine a confection that’s equal parts unsettling and sugary sweet, like a siren’s song luring you to a splendidly chaotic end.
The lyrics, simple yet vividly expressive, deal with the vexing presence of someone who haunts the mind without paying rent. They convey a mix of frustration and bewilderment at why this person continues to linger, underscoring the emotional weight of these unwelcome memories or feelings.
“The video is very dear to my heart, pulling from some of my favorite influences — Lynch, Hitchcock, and Wong Kar-wai,” says Kassen. “The song has the haunting melodies and experimental spirit trademark of Pisha with a D&B style rhythm section culminating in a very groovy bass line. I was inspired by David Bowie and Nine Inch Nails in collaboration for the Lost Highway soundtrack.
Directed by Noah Duarte, the video leads us on a surreal escapade through Brooklyn with Pisha, who exudes the resemblance of Twin Peaks’ Cousin Maddy, possessed by the spirit of Laura Palmer. The journey commences with an ill-fated rendezvous with some dubious Thai cuisine. From there, it spirals into a nightmarish escapade filled with fragmented memories and odd nightlife scenes. Picture Pisha navigating the murky waters of disjointed recollections, paranoid dashes through the subway, and bizarre vignettes that feel like snippets of a fever dream. It’s an oddly whimsical yet unsettling visual experience, ending, of course, in a gastronomical disaster. One thing is certain: someone at Grubhub is definitely getting a talking to.
Watch the video for WTF” below:
WTF comes ahead of her second album, Peace, Love, Pisha, releasing late 2024. A recent graduate of Berklee College of Music, Kassen unveiled her debut album Threnody earlier this year. Pisha has performed throughout New York with acts like Taraneh, Swordes, Glass Spells and Body Meat, as well as toured across the US with darkwave duo Coatie Pop.
Listen to WTF below, or order here:
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