BENEE's second album, 'Ur An Angel I'm Just Particles', finds the New Zealand alt-pop star refining her style. The songs are witty and self-aware, full of the charm that made her debut so likeable, but the edges are softer, the mood a little more restrained.
Opener '
Demons' hints at the shift: a glossier, more grown-up take on BENEE's sound, with touches of Y2K pop gloss. '
Cinnamon' is classic BENEE - that dry, understated delivery, half-sarcastic and half-sincere ("Not asking much, to be adored") - while '
Vegas' and '
Off The Rails' lean into her offbeat sense of humour, capturing impulsive romance and post-adolescent chaos with a wink.
Her lyrical bite is still intact. '
Sad Boiii' and '
Chainmail' both pick apart bad relationships with a mix of eye-roll and empathy ("You can't hurt me ’cos my skin is made of chainmail"), while '
Underwater' dives into self-doubt and anxiety with a clarity that cuts through the shimmer. By the time closer '
Heaven' arrives - a quietly aching reflection on time slipping away - BENEE sounds both older and more at peace with herself.
