Welcome back to the incomparable Katie Noir, whose prodigious talent and presence on the scene, even as a 21-year-old, have allowed her to earn her place in history as one of the most relatable and vulnerably authentic voices of our time. She has this truly incredible ability to make the dizzying spin of overthinking into incredible artwork by making ghosts out of memories and bringing these beautiful yet fleeting thoughts into form, things we couldn’t put into words ourselves. The sweetness of the memory of when she gifted us with “I Prefer Jason,” an incredible single that swept our hearts away from the get-go, still lingers around us. She’s now back to sweep us off our feet completely with her incredible 23-track album, What Is Unseen Still Exists (LP), which came out on the 23rd of June. So, pull up a chair and join me, because we need to go through this together, word for word.
The trip starts with “Bitches’ Road,” opening up with a minimal, eerie loop of reverberating percussion and a dark, brooding bassline, which evokes the feeling of being alone on a dark, fog-filled street in the dead of night. The underlying concept of the song is about a character who has been nice for way too long, so she decides to take the bitches road and give a bad attitude. The song reclaims the word bitch because sometimes even saying no and being assertive is seen as being bitchy, but sometimes we all need to go down the bitches’ road. Musically, the artist uses a distinctive, spoken-word vocal style over pulsing electronic rhythms.
Without missing a beat, “Soft Again (Don’t quote Me that)” starts with an upbeat synth pop melody that sparkles gently as morning dew, followed by a steady, mid-tempo heartbeat beat that anchors the instruments. Thematically, the song delves into the scary reality of having to put yourself out there once you’ve decided that you’ll never let anyone hurt you again, dealing with the irony of wanting someone to love you while being scared of showing just how vulnerable you’ve become. This character feels like she’s being soft or gullible and might even text her ex again if she’s not restrained. As far as vocals go, Katie manages to capture both sides of the situation, singing about vulnerability with both her vulnerable, breathy tone and sudden outbursts of strength.
Suddenly the mood changes with “MCS,” starting with an intense, industrial synth beat and digital static sound effects reminiscent of the frenzy of thought processes that occur at midnight. The concept revolves around the idea of sitting back and accessing everyone around her. The character lets us know that we may think that she’s an NPC, but in reality, she’s the main character. As for music, it features sharp vocal chop sequences and electronic beats non-stop, making the audience feel breathless and totally immersed in all that crazy energy.
“Only Us” follows after that, starting off with an ambient pad sound of a keyboard which seems to build slowly as if the tides of the ocean are coming closer. In its lyrics, it analyzes how we can be emotionally dependent on one person. The story talks about a persona who is telling her partner that instead of worrying about the future, they should instead live in the moment and take the relationship one day at a time. The vocals are so intense and close to you that it feels like Katie is confiding her secrets right into your ears.
This momentum gets carried on to the more somber side of things with “Out of Touch,” which begins with the sound of a clock ticking in time and a poetic performance with an isolated, cold synth that accurately portrays the emotion of being emotionally detached. The idea is based around the experience of losing a connection to someone you once knew inside out, witnessing it fall apart as they become an awkward silence and a digital phantom. Katie talks about how people are so engrossed in other people’s lives, writing what they like, no matter how bad it is in other people’s comment sections. Katie even mentions a comical encounter that she witnessed. She talks about how someone bought a plate of food that was piping hot but, because of taking too much “content” of it, by the time that he or she wanted to eat, the food had grown cold. The music includes minimal piano chords reverberating in a huge sound space along with a very sad voice coming from afar.
Breaking the silence, “Shake That Ass” bursts into the scene with a rough, sub-bass-laden club beat and an ear-grabbing, high-spirited synth line that is meant to take over the dance floor. In terms of lyrics, the song celebrates the ability of having control of one’s body and experiencing the euphoria of being free from self-consciousness through witty lyrics and provocative imagery aimed at ridiculing shallow judgments. Forget the club, this song is what you need to put on and twerk to it, and immediately you will be transported to your very own club. In her vocals, Katie gives up on sad subtlety for rhythmical beats that instantly turn into a physical experience.
“L.I.S.A” shifts its focus once more to the introspective, beginning with the sound of a pen scribbling furiously on paper before the dark and looped piano comes into play. In this song, the character mentions someone who was still in her heart even when she was in a very bad headspace. From a musical point of view, this is enhanced by multiple tracks of vocals which have a haunting effect for anyone who ever felt torn between multiple selves.
The song “Hey Sara” opens with an intimate ukulele sound and some ambient talk in the background of a comfortable room, thereby immediately giving an impression of warmth and trustworthiness. The subject matter revolves around platonic salvation and how friends save us when our minds try to drown us. Through the character in the song, we meet Sara, a soft-spoken woman whose beauty rivals supermodels. This song shows the power of friendship, and it was fun to watch it unfold. Katie sings from the heart, diary-style, as if addressing her own friend and us.
Sticking to this narrative pattern, “Lexi Waited Anyway” begins with a prolonged sound of a synthesizer, which is reminiscent of a dial tone sound, with a steady march of drums entering the song. Lyrics-wise, this song discusses the character in the song’s friend Lexi. This Lexi is described as the perfect friend, and she was even the one who pulled her friend out of the darkness. There is mention of Lexi being gone. Whether figuratively or literally, this character honors Lexi like she’s still around as she talks about Lexi’s effect on her life. The musicality of this piece is amazing in terms of balance between the tension and relief achieved through ascending melody vocals reaching emotional clarity.
The song “The Sisterhood” starts out with a militant-style marching percussion piece featuring triumphant synth brass chords which seem to be making a declaration of war. It is a passionate theme that celebrates solidarity among women, mutual protection, and standing together against a world that wants to pull them down. The song isn’t insulting men but makes sure we understand that there is such a thing as toxic masculinity. About vocals, Katie gives a passionate and poetic anthem performance featuring harmonious vocals that give an empowering impact on the listener to join hands and defend their peace.
“The title track “What Is Unseen Still Exists” is a conceptual base for the whole album that starts with the sounds of an eerie and ambient mouth percussion and a big piano chord that reminds us of opening a door to a dark room that hasn’t been opened for years. “What Is Unseen Still Exists” raises the issues of invisible struggles, and it talks about how the better life and world we daydream about can exist; all we need to do is go and get it. It might not have manifested yet, but delay is not denial. Musically, this track develops from a fragile whisper to a huge wall of sound.”
With its abrupt appearance of frenzied, uptempo beats along with a jarring keyboard melody reflecting the state of a heart pumping like crazy upon awakening, “Morning Fever” instantly brings one down to earth. The lyrics of the song reveal the turmoil of switching gears from late-night brooding to meeting the beauty requirements of a brand new day. In this scenario, our character had a very rough night, but somehow, she woke up as good as new. This song is the biblical equivalent of “Weeping may endure through the night, but joy comes in the morning”. This song is the perfect pick-me-up before you’ve even had your morning coffee. Musically. The vocal performance, it is quick and breathless, producing a thrilling effect.
Moving to the institutional environment, “University Day” begins with a lively and upbeat, immaculate acoustic guitar tune that is academically oriented. The song is about a character who is a student in the university. This character takes us on a “spend the day with me as a university student”. She’s confident and optimistic about going to class or even going to university at all. Musically, the synth pop melody was very captivating, and the lyrics are descriptive enough for you to picture this student. Where was this song when I felt lazy to go to class in university? Because it would have totally got me in an academic mood.
In “My Dorm,” the story is reversed inwardly through the beginning of the song as one hears the sweet melody from the neighboring room beat monotonously, coupled with the sound of a nice thumping sound. The song is about a character as she tells us all about her university dorm. I feel like this song is a follow-up song for the previous song “University Day”. We are told in great detail how the elevator is, the sound of the washing machine, amongst other things. In terms of vocals, the delivery is intimate and quiet with comfy, lo-fi arrangements that envelope the listeners like a warm blanket.
This mood changes drastically in the song “Hospital Day,” which begins with the clean and repetitive beep of an ambulance sound and a heart monitor mixed with an eerie synthesizer tone. The subject of the song is about a medical resident doctor who feels out of place because it seems to be her first day. She talks about the doctors who are strutting around and look like they have everything figured out. It’s nice for this character to take us along on her very first day as a doctor. From a musical standpoint, the song features dissonant music with a very delicate vocalization style.
“Weekend” comes across as a refreshing and ironic piece of music, starting with a distorted sample of a ticking clock which leads to a playful indie-pop bassline that seems to be full of irony. “Weekend” is exactly what you think it is. A bright neon sign pointing to the weekend (Friday). Let’s be honest, whenever a week starts, consciously or unconsciously, we all start counting down to Friday, 5 pm. The song doesn’t shy away from glorifying the weekend, and it is exactly the song you need to let loose on the weekend. Musically, the song is rave-ready and is extremely foot-tapping; prepare for a hurricane of fun coming your way when you put this song on
The melody of “Sad Little Soul” reduces to just the mournful, crying sound of the electric piano and slow, mournful strings that seem so fragile. This theme is the direct, loving plea directed at the hurt version of yourself from within, giving forgiveness and compassion to those aspects of you that suffered through unnecessary trials. Singing-wise, Katie lays out her emotions in full force in every line of the song.
The song “Relapse” opens with the sound of a music box and a heavy synth pop melody. Thematically, it is all about the struggle of overcoming psychological and emotional trauma, the pain that comes with the realization that sometimes you cannot overcome your past issues easily, no matter how hard you try. Musically, Katie does something new, which is rap, and it sounds just fantastic. There is an oppressive atmosphere created by tense instrumental arrangements, complemented with a brutally honest vocal delivery.
With “Lighthouse,” the mood becomes one of redemption with a huge, bright electric guitar melody. This intro stands as the starting point that builds up like an illuminating light piercing through the heavy fog. The subject of this song is about the person who can be a pillar for you in your time of trouble and guide you and protect you when you’re out at sea, drowning in your own darkness. The song was performed in such an inspiring way, and it will enthrall you completely.
In “Number 23,” the concept of cosmic coincidences and repetitions is emphasized from the very beginning of the song through the electronic intro of counting down numbers in a digital code. Lyrically, the song highlights the beautiful journey that is this album. Katie breaks down this album to us beautifully and is very captivating in this performance. The song is based on the hypnotic repetition of the groove and cool vocal delivery, and it’s absolutely perfect.
“Music” is an ode to the art form itself, beginning with the rich and luxurious sound of piano hammers hitting the strings, followed by an orchestral blast of sound. The theme addresses the way in which art becomes your own private language and your sanctuary when the world cannot comprehend you. This song talks about the power and importance of music. Music saved most of us, became a sanctuary where we couldn’t be affected by what is going on around us. It’s really nice to meet an artist who truly understands that his or her artistic expression is a beacon of light and hope for others. In terms of the vocals, Katie performs with perhaps her most emotive and soaring vocal performance on the album.
This massive album ends with “Until Soon,” opening with a fading ukulele tune and an ambient hiss as the tape rolls to its end. It serves as a poetic farewell to the audience, reminding us that although the inner world has not disappeared yet, it is simply taking a break before the new cycle begins. There is a flute melody that you will love completely as you take in the meaning of the song, which is goodbye for now because we will meet again. I cannot begin to explain how perfect this song was to end the album. The music leaves a comforting aftertaste of silence, making for a very pleasant and emotional finish to this epic journey through 23 songs.
What Katie Noir has accomplished with this album can only be described as a masterpiece; this is no simple compilation of loose singles thrown together in a playlist, but a magnificent, finely crafted 23-song conceptual album that must be felt from the very first inhalation to the last lingering exhale. She seamlessly combines dark pop, alternative pop, electronic pop, smooth R&B, hard-hitting hip hop, groovy dance tracks, and grand storytelling cinema, all of which are held together by one delicate yet powerful emotional string: the weighty secrets we keep, the losses we incur, the shadows of our remorse, the memories we cherish, and the silent burdens we drag through the night. Throughout all of this amazing experience, the album boldly navigates through the chaotic realities of friendship, humanity’s flaws, the crushing isolation of loneliness, hard-core self-introspection, messy recovery, and brief instances of meaning and hope that are unwavering and defiant in its refusal to be silenced. There are songs filled with the sharpness of biting sarcasm that will have you smirking along with the ones that go right in and expose the intimate vulnerability that resembles the act of reading someone’s diary. I feel incredibly lucky and privileged to have the opportunity to work with Katie for a second time, and seeing how her mind works has solidified the position of being her biggest fan forever.
Stream the “What Is Unseen Still Exists (LP)” album on Spotify.
- THE TRIUMPH OF SOUND: WHY C’BATCH HAS CONQUERED US ALL IN “THE VAULT 4 – CINEMATIC” - 28 July 2026
- MRGEORGE IGNITES THE DANCEFLOOR: WHY “WAKE UP” IS THE RETRO-FUTURISTIC SYNTH-POP ANTHEM WE ALL DESPERATE NEED - 28 July 2026
- GEDALYA DELIVERS A MASTERCLASS IN TEMPTATION: WHY “JUST ONE CIGARETTE” IS FOLK-ROCK POETRY AT ITS FINEST - 28 July 2026
