Billy Nomates doesn’t quite hit the mark on ‘CACTI’
Billy Nomates, real name Tor Maries, released her self-titled debut album in 2020, working in collaboration with Portishead’s Geoff Barrow. Maries blended sprechgesang vocal delivery (moving between talking and singing) with post-punk instrumentation, focusing heavily on unrelenting, addictive basslines.
After appearing on Sleaford Mod’s song ‘Mork and Mindy’ in 2021, she released an EP later that year entitled Emergency Telephone. Since then, Maries has remained a significant rising star, building momentum via frequent live shows and regular backing from BBC Radio 6 Music. On January 13th, Billy Nomates will release her hotly anticipated sophomore effort, CACTI.
Discussing her new release, Maries explained: “Writing CACTI took just over a year. I wrote very intensely and then none at all. (This seems to be the way I work best)”. She recorded between Invada Studios and her apartment, demonstrating her skills as a producer. Detailing further, Maries explained how she “picked up old drum machines, mapped out things in my kitchen with the same small micro keyboard I always use and then raided the cupboards and rooms at Invada Studios, to play and experiment with old synths, an upright piano, this weird organ thing.”
Maries’ dedication to experimentation bleeds through CACTI, which moves between synth-pop anthems, mellow folk-inspired tracks, and pure slices of post-punk, all of which flow with a steady rhythm, occasionally pierced by off-kilter instrumentation. On CACTI, Maries uses her voice with more intensity than in her debut, demonstrating a profound richness and warmth that counterbalances her lyrical musings on heartbreak, depression, and confusion.
The album begins with ‘balance is gone’, which has already been released as a single. Before the establishment of any musical notes, Maries’ voice chimes in with a defiant delivery: “My inner peace is broken into five/ I meditate, but I am not alive,” she sings. A heavy bassline welcomes the introduction of a whirring synth before a punky riff breaks up the verses. Keeping up a stable rhythm, Maries uses detailed textures to create the feeling that something could collapse and trail into unexpected territory at any moment. However, she keeps her head above the water, leaving the impression that she hasn’t quite mustered the confidence to wade into uncharted territory just yet.
With that being said, the album provides some lovely moments, such as ‘fawner’, an acoustic guitar-led track that spotlights Maries’ gorgeous voice and tender lyricism. She sings: “I don’t make friends so fast/ You know the right words to say/ In the right order/ I put my foot in my mouth” – striding head first into themes of isolation and insecurity. Furthermore, on the powerhouse track ‘spite’, a gravelly driving riff backs her unabashedly confrontational declarations: “I know you think you hold all your power over me/ But you don’t/ Only I hold power over me.”
On CACTI, Billy Nomates demonstrates a wealth of talent for both lyricism and production. However, the musician remains on solid ground, failing to develop her ideas into something potentially more impressive and unforgettable. Nevertheless, CACTI contains standout tracks, such as ‘blue bones (deathwish)’ and ‘blackout signal’, which are sure to become fan favourites during upcoming live performances.
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