NO IDENTITY is undoubtedly an extremely independent solo act and an artist who perfectly captures the essence of the heart and rebellious DIY spirit of contemporary industrial music. Taking complete control over all aspects of her artistry, the versatile natural phenomenon does everything herself from writing to producing and mixing and mastering her work as well as directing the visuals. On July 3rd, she dropped her amazing single and its accompanying music video called “Almost Nothing,” and it’s time to plunge right into the exciting world of this masterpiece.
Rather than starting off with a burst of light, the visual story opens with a complete surrender into total darkness before fading slowly into a dark and oppressive setting where shadows completely overwhelm the borders of the screen. Adhering completely to its commitment to brutal artistic honesty, the camera is locked on an entirely stationary medium shot of the artist alone within a huge, empty space. With the heavy, industrial beat of the music serving as an anchor, the artist’s stance is stubbornly unyielding, totally ignoring any temptation to indulge in showy movement and dance. There is only a sharp line of side lighting slicing harshly through the darkness to reveal one side of her face as the rest remains enveloped in utter darkness. And then there is the look, that intense and fierce look of hers that begins to turn slowly towards the camera, with waves of emotional distancing and conflict flowing through. The mounting tension sees the camera get closer and closer to fill the frame with her face only, lingering on the intensity of it all as she opens her mouth. Each tiny movement, each shift in position or slight clenching of her fists becomes a heartbeat within the verses, symbolizing the pain of facing oneself. An intense side light cuts sharply through the thick darkness of blackness, casting a bright light on just one-half of her face as the other half lies completely obscured within the depths of deep and heavy shadow. But there is also that particular look—a deeply set look filled with intense and fiercely guarded emotions as her eyes turn slowly towards the lens of the camera, bringing waves of emotional distance and inner struggle. As tension builds up and peaks at its highest point, the camera moves closer and closer till it frames only her face in its entirety, holding onto that intense and intimate moment when she opens her mouth. Each tiny movement of hers, each subtle shifting of her body and tightening of her fists, beats painfully with the fragility of her heart through the verses, as she looks directly into the mirror and sees herself.
Above all else, “Almost Nothing” is a gloriously loud, wonderfully chaotic declaration of purpose – an unfiltered, unapologetic expression of visuals and sounds straight out of the depths of a deeply personal experience of going through mental illnesses and anxiety with relationships. As for the song itself, “Almost Nothing” is a prime example of how daring and innovative NO IDENTITY really is with his music, being constructed purely out of one of the most unconventional bases there is – an ordinary clapping sound effect made to become “electric bass that you would find in a septic tank.” The amazing mess of this brilliantly gritty and superbly abrasive soundscape is masterfully brought under control with sidechain compression of such clarity that it is combined with the rich and layered guitar parts in order to create an unbelievable contradiction where an awesomely textured song becomes irresistibly danceable and immensely enjoyable. It is the amazing result of months of extremely hard work which arose from the complete ruins of the finished version which was boldly discarded simply for the sake of perfection. Indeed, the music video for this track reflects the same attitude towards creation, it is loud, amazingly strange, and definitely unique.
Using low-end equipment housed within an ill-fitting studio environment, she has managed the miraculous feat of taking every limiting factor and turned it into an artistic superpower, fashioning for herself an unmistakable voice that actually flourishes in the harsh distortions offered by her equipment. Through powerful associations with the industrial roots of Nine Inch Nails, more specifically Pretty Hate Machine, NO IDENTITY has crafted an unmistakable musical identity. She unabashedly embraces the elements of grime, noise, and chaos, but never forgets the compelling rhythmic pulse that is what drives real music. Witnessing such a visual spectacle was like going back in time and experiencing the visual brilliance of the work done by Kanye West’s “All Of The Lights” – a stunning visual treat in its entirety. It’s an absolutely brilliant accomplishment, not just on the visual front but in all other aspects as well, and I am more than excited to be working with the talented people who created this spectacular song and music video!
Stream “Almost Nothing” on Spotify
Follow NO IDENTITY here and her socials: Instagram, Bandcamp, YouTube
