“Homo sapiens” means “wise human,” and Annie W turns that name into an uncomfortable joke. We call ourselves wise, her song points out, while taking from the land without giving back and destroying the natural systems we depend on. “Homo sapiens (I’m an Animal),” out October 16th, asks what happens when an animal can no longer tolerate the artificial world its own species has built, and whether we can stop fighting the natural world and learn to grow with it instead.
Thematically, this is a very thought-provoking song, and that always risks making it feel more like a lecture than a song. Rest assured, the fear is unfounded here, because this is a supremely melodic song. The melodies and hooks are precise and catchy, and they work beautifully in tandem with the harmony and the tasteful guitar lines to create a banger of a song.
The song also sets itself up as a dance-rock track, with electric guitars, organ, and a driving bass carrying a primal chant. It builds through a fake drop before the real one hits, which gives the arrangement a playful, physical edge.
Annie W, a Montreal-based independent songwriter and visual creator, did all of it herself. She wrote, performed, and produced the song, played every instrument and sang every vocal, and recorded it independently in Montreal, with the mix and master handled by Sonny Black Productions. She works in both English and French, and her influences range from Jeff Buckley and Björk to Muse and Metallica.
A series of short films is in production, extending the song’s absurdity and ecological themes through humour, surrealism and darker environmental imagery. With the single arriving on October 16th, “Homo sapiens (I’m an Animal)” looks like a good one to have on your radar for anyone who likes a serious idea delivered with real hooks.
