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Photo:  Christina Bryson

Catharsis is defined by the act of release, the rush of relief that comes with moving on or charging headfirst through your bottled-up emotions. It's this culmination and ensuing expulsion of psychic energy that fuels THE BLSSM's aptly-titled sophomore EP PURE ENERGY.

The genre-fusing artist and fashion curator has always played with the idea of nostalgia, stitching together the hazy indie rock and propulsive energy of rap that scored their youth with the sights, sounds, and emotions that formed them into the person they are today. The byproduct is a budding pop star in their own right. Familiar yet novel. Unmistakable yet unpredictable. And with the release of PURE ENERGY, THE BLSSM takes that idiosyncratic approach to newfound heights.

"To express myself, I've learned how to jump off a million cliffs when it comes to taking risks," THE BLSSM explains. "My project [PURE ENERGY] is about feeling everything at once and looking like a bit of everything, too." They continue, "It's very loud and unimpeded. This is what pop music sounds like to me. This is what I wanted to make."

From the iridescent glimmers that awaken "I HATE SUNDAY" to the existential barrage of "EVIL TWIN," THE BLSSM wears their heart on their sleeve against fuzzed-out soundscapes that feel timeless. The aforementioned EP opener "I HATE SUNDAY" radiates with a resounding sonic confidence that juxtaposes the burnout the lyrics detail at a mile a minute. And it's not the only time that the genre-defying artist pairs mosh-ready bouts of catharsis side by side with poignant moments of vulnerability.

"DIZZY" details the pitfalls of a toxic relationship and how it can leave you feeling devastated, nursing a perpetual emotional hangover. That's not to say that Pure Energy is an exercise in melancholia masking as a cult '90s indie rock record. "NOT TODAY" arrives a piece of unbridled optimism that sees THE BLSSM facing their intrusive thoughts head-on, basking in a simple act of defiance against any rain clouds hiding just beyond the horizon.

As PURE ENERGY  reaches its inevitable conclusion, THE BLSSM truly does feel unstoppable. They race toward their vision of pop with a reckless abandon, embracing every scraped knee and lingering hint of anxiety with arms wide open, because at the end of it all lies a euphoric moment of catharsis.

Listen to PURE ENERGY  below: