Amid the wild madness of fashion month, the only thing we need is a McDonalds meal deal, a bottle of cheap champagne and a good soundtrack. And while the first two are easily taken care of via some light Deliveroo-ing, the third comes as a result of a slightly more difficult task. Luckily, we’re here to save you hours of trawling through Spotify and introduce you to Cape God. An eclectic mix of pop influences packaged into Allie X’s second studio album, out today, it’s a haven for all your #moods that might occur. Sad, emotional, tired, happy, euphoric… It’s all there and ready for your indulgence. Why this particular title? “It all looked very East Coast as I was writing the record. I was inspired by the photography of Gregory Crewdson and imagery from an HBO documentary Heroin: Cape Cod. It is a record that reflects on my teenage years, with a searching for meaning. There is also a sense of nothingness and letting go. There is a spiritual side to all that for me. Cape God just seemed like the right title,” explains the artist behind the masterpiece.
Alexandra Ashley Hughes aka Allie X is a Canadian-born, L.A.-based indie pop musician who has writing credits with artists like Troye Sivan, The Vamps and BTS. Sivan also makes his appearance on Cape Cod in Love Me Wrong, a tense, slo-mo ballad with an epic instrumental backdrop which will make for a great addition to your after-after-party playlist. Other highlights include a stripped banger Rings a Bell with a melody that will get stuck in your mind for hours. There’s also Learning in Public, an understated album finale which gives way for a clear pop sound interwoven with avant-garde influences. If she had to describe Cape God with a meal, which one would it be? “Cold porridge…. It’s hard to explain why, ha.”
Because of these kind of answers and a sound that we could spend days on dissecting, we decided to turn our 10 burning questions into her direction and find out everything about the shining star of Allie X…
Dino Bonacic: What were you listening to on your way to the studio while recording Cape God?
Allie X: Between when I started making the record in March 2018 and March 2019 when I wrapped it up, I was listening to Joy Division, Emily Haines, The Cure, Timber Timbre, Mitski, Anais Mitchell and Charlotte Gainsbourg, to name a few.
DB: If someone gave you a limitless credit card but only one place to spend it – where would you go and why?
AX: Erewhon [market] haha. Sorry to give such an LA answer, but it is truly a paradise for health food lovers like me.
DB: What’s the album/ song you’ve listened to the most in your life?
AX: Emotions by Mariah Carey.
DB: What’s your favourite lyric from Cape God?
AX: Oh what a feeling! / Hanging off a building / With the regulars. [from Regulars]
DB: The album also features a collab with Troye Sivan, with whom you’ve previously worked with. How did you first meet?
AX: We met online after he tweeted about my song Bitch. He was a super early supporter of my work, before he’d even released a song. The first time we met in person was when we did the first studio writing session for him. My impression was and still is that he is an honest, funny, intelligent and kind human.
DB: If you could duet with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and what would the song be called?
AX: Cyndi Lauper. And it would be called Shut Up and Listen to Me.
DB: You’re packing for your next tour which starts in less than 24 hours and you need a bunch of outfits. Which designer do you call?
AX: Do they have to fit in a suitcase? That is always a consideration. If it’s free reign though I would call Cecilie Bahnsen, Comme des Garçons, Vivenne Westwood and Maison Margiela. Miu Miu too!
DB: The best thing about pop music right now is…
AX: …the freedom to make whatever you want and have a wide audience to share it with. Streaming has made that possible. Artists no longer have to follow a radio friendly formula necessarily.
DB: What’s the worst?
AX: The radio formula that still drives a lot of writing rooms in LA.
DB: If you were a superhero, what would your outfit look like?
AX: Kilt and oversized blazer with a chunky shoe.
‘Cape God’ by Allie X is now available to stream and download on Spotify, iTunes, etc.
