Sasami Ashworth has never been one to sit comfortably in a single genre. A composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist with an ever-evolving sonic identity, she first emerged as a classically trained musician and former member of Cherry Glazerr before going solo. Her 2019 self-titled debut album introduced her as a purveyor of dreamy indie rock, while her follow-up, Squeeze, embraced heavy guitars and raw aggression. Now, with Blood on the Silver Screen, Sasami goes full pop spectacle, creating a theatrical, horror-tinged rock opera that is as indulgent as it is intentional.
“This album is all about learning and respecting the craft of pop songwriting, about relenting to illogical passion, obsession, and guiltless pleasure,” Sasami says. “It’s about leaning into the chaos of romance and sweeping devotion—romanticism to the point of self-destruction.” Working with co-producers Jenn Decilveo and Rostam, Sasami crafted an album that viscerally captures love, sex, power, and embodiment.
“Slugger” kicks things off with a bang. The song is a full-throttle stadium anthem, packed with infectious melodies and sharp lyricism, setting the tone for an album that never shies away from its maximalist ambitions. The music video, released months before the album, only adds to the spectacle. Set in a baseball locker room and field, complete with choreographed bat swings, it perfectly mirrors the song’s themes of perseverance and self-determination. Sasami name-checks Dolly Parton, Chopin, and Steve Lacy, seamlessly weaving her influences into a track that’s as playful as it is powerful.
“Just Be Friends” shifts gears into a warm, nostalgic groove that feels straight out of a late 90s rom-com. I previously wrote about this song for Staged Haze, where I talked about how it captures the emotional complexity of letting go while still holding onto care and admiration. Its breezy guitar work and heartfelt delivery make it one of the album’s most relatable moments. Listening to it again within the context of the full album, it deepens its impact—like the soundtrack to a moment of clarity in a coming-of-age film.
Then there’s “I’ll Be Gone”, a shimmering synth-pop cut with serious Kate Bush energy. The fast-paced electronic chorus gives the song an urgent, weightless feel, like it could be blasting from a Walkman in an 80s coming-of-age film. “Love Makes You Do Crazy Things” flips the switch again, bringing in massive, crunchy guitars and an earworm hook that would feel right at home on a Rina Sawayama record. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to scream along in the car with the windows down.
“In Love with a Memory”, the latest and last single before the album’s release, featuring Clairo and produced by Rostam, might be the album’s most emotionally layered track. It starts with an almost video game-like dreaminess before Sasami’s vocals cut through with a raw, aching clarity. The music video only adds to its poignancy—images of Clairo with a burn-like effect on them, a late-night gas station, and Sasami singing in the desert—it’s a surrealist take on nostalgia and the tension between holding on and moving forward.
“Possessed” brings a darker, more sinister energy. The intro is playful, but there’s an eerie undercurrent, and by the time the electro-pop chorus kicks in, the song has transformed into something simultaneously danceable and unsettling. “Figure It Out” leans into full-on 80s melodrama, complete with synth swells and a massive, cinematic chorus. “Just close your eyes and squeeze my hand tight and we’ll figure it out” sounds like the soundtrack to a neon-lit, tear-filled reconciliation scene in a John Hughes movie.
The album’s first single, “Honeycrash”, embraces the theatricality of “Blood on the Silver Screen” head-on. It’s a longing rock ballad that builds to a thrashing, emotional peak, featuring the album’s title within its lyrics. It is followed by “Smoke (Banished From Eden)” provides a brief but haunting interlude—just 37 seconds of medieval horns and ghostly operatic vocals, reinforcing the record’s dramatic, world-building nature.
“Nothing But a Sad Face” shifts into a beachy, Lana Del Rey-style haze, with Sasami crooning, “If hell is the only place to be lucky, then I will follow you down.” It’s melancholic but defiant, a recurring theme throughout the album.
Then there’s “Lose It All”, a song that for me lingers long after the album ends. Sasami dives into love, loss, and the inevitable risk that comes with caring deeply. The chorus is gorgeous and sweeping, carrying a weight that makes it one of the album’s most affecting moments. I found myself replaying this one immediately, letting it wash over me again. This theme of love and pain colliding is crystalized in “The Seed”, where she sings, “Love and pain, they’re intertwined.” It’s a line that feels like the album’s thesis—this is a record that fully embraces the beauty and destruction of love in equal measure.
By the time the album wraps up, Blood on the Silver Screen has taken me through a full spectrum of emotions. Sasami doesn’t just dabble in melodrama—she commits to it completely, creating an album that feels like a gothic fever dream set to a soundtrack of pop hooks and cinematic crescendos. The production is lush, the songwriting is sharp, and there’s a real sense of purpose in every theatrical flourish.
This isn’t an album that plays it safe. It’s big, ambitious, sometimes chaotic, and all the better for it. Sasami has already proven she can shapeshift between genres, but “Blood on the Silver Screen” cements her as an artist with no limits. Her ability to move seamlessly between different sounds and styles makes it clear she has a long career ahead of her. With this album, she’s not just making music—she’s making a statement.
Blood on The Silver Screen is out now.
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