Sasami’s 2019 breakthrough self-titled debut was a wonderful modern expression of shoegaze. On her upcoming album, though, the classically trained Los Angeles native is getting more experimental and exploring everything from nu-metal to folk-pop. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who’s followed her output this year, like the heavy-hitting cover of Daniel Johnston’s “Sorry Entertainer” and the gentle “Graves” by Hand Habits (which Sasami produced.)
Out February 25th on Domino, Squeeze is largely inspired by her deep-dive into her Japanese-Korean mixed roots and an anthropomorphic Japanese yōkai folk spirit she discovered called Nure-onna. The god-like creature has the head of a woman and a snake’s body and according to lore “is feminine and noble, yet powerful and vicious enough to brutally destroy victims with her blood sucking tongue.” This spirit inspired them as she wrote and produced an album that addresses everything from injustices in the world around her to relationship dynamics.
This viciousness channeled through Nure-onna comes through instantly on new single “Skin A Rat.” The track’s dark metal lean even features drums from Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren and a deep gang vocal arrangement that features Vagabon’s Laetitia Tamko. In a statement, Sasami calls it “a soundtrack to cathartic release of anger and frustration with oppressive systems and humans.”
Meanwhile, “The Greatest” is all about guitars: The electric strum that opens the track as Sasami starts painting the tale of one-sided emotions. The drums hit and the guitar just keeps building, almost like they’re begging for feelings to be reciprocated. Sasami says it’s “like power born out of a black hole. All fantasy.”
Watch the videos for “The Greatest” and “Skin A Rat” above. Below, find the Squeeze album and tracklist, along with Sasami’s upcoming headlining tour dates, as well as those supporting Mitski and Japanese Breakfast.
1. “Skin A Rat”
2. “The Greatest”
3. “Say It”
4. “Call Me Home”
5. “Need It To Work”
6. “Tried To Understand”
7. “Make It Right”
8. “Sorry Entertainer”
9. “Squeeze (feat. No Home)”
10. “Feminine Water Turmoil”
11. “Not A Love Song”
10/29/2021 — Dallas, TX @ Studio at the Factory ^
10/30/2021 — Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall ^
10/31/2021 — Austin, TX @ Stubb’s (Levitation)
11/01/2021 — San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger ^
11/03/2021 — Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress (Outdoor Plaza) ^
11/04/2021 — Tempe, AZ @ Coca-Cola Sun Deck at Sun Devil Stadium ^
11/07/2021 — Berkeley, CA @ UC Theatre ^
11/09/2021 — Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades ^
11/11/2021 — Sonoma, CA @ Gundlach Bundschu Winery ^ –
11/12/2021 — San Luis Obispo, CA @ Madonna Inn ^
11/13/2021 — Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst ^
11/15/2021 — Pomona, CA @ The Glass House ^ –
11/16/2021 — Pomona, CA @ The Glass House ^ –
03/04/2022 — Brattleboro, VT @ The Stone Church
03/05/2022 — Woodstock, NY @ The Colony
03/06/2022 — Rochester, NY @ The Bug Jar
03/08/2022 — Lakewood, OH @ Mahall’s
03/10/2022 — Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor
03/11/2022 — Savannah, GA @ Savannah Stopover
03/21/2022 — Nashville, TN @ The End
03/22/2022 — Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade Purgatory Stage
03/24.2022 — Washington, DC @ Black Cat
03/25/2022 — Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
03/26.2022 — Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
03/27/2022 — Cambridge, MA @ Sonia
03/30/2022 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe
03/31/2022 — Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe
04/01/2022 — Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
04/02/2022 — Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
04/03/2022 — Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge
04/05/2022 — Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
04/07/2022 — Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room
04/08/2022 — Boise, ID @ The Shredder
04/09/2022 — Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
04/10/2022 — Seattle, WA @ Barboza
04/12/2022 — San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
04/13/2022 — Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
04/21/2022 — Bristol, UK @ Marble Factory * –
04/22/2022 — Leeds, UK @ University Union Refectory *
04/23/2022 — Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland Ballroom *
04/25/2022 — Dublin, IE @ Vicar Street * –
04/26/2022 — Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy *
04/28/2022 — London, UK @ The Roundhouse * –
04/29/2022 — London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton *
04/30/2022 — Brussels, BE @ Les Nuits Botanique Festival *
05/02/2022 — Tourcoing, FR @ Le Grand Mix * –
05/03/2022 — Paris, FR @ L’Olympia *
05/04/2022 — Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso * –
05/06/2022 — Zurich, CH @ Kaufleuten *
05/07/2022 — Lausanne, CH @ Les Docks *
05/09/2022 — Berlin, DE @ Metropol * –
05/10/2022 — Copenhagen, DK @ Vega * –
05/11/2022 — Stockholm, SE @ Fallan
05/12/2022 — Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene * –
05/14/2022 — Hamburg, DE @ Fabrik * –
05/15/2022 — Cologne, DE @ Carlswerk Victoria * –
05/17/2022 — Vienna, AT @ WUK * –
05/18/2022 — Prague, CZ @ Archa Theatre *
05/19/2022 — Munich, DE @ Strom * –
^ with Japanese Breakfast
* with Mitski
Squeeze is out 2/25/2022 via Domino. Pre-order it here.
