SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AYRIA – 13 STITCHES

AYRIA
13 STITCHES
ARTOFFACT RECORDS

Jennifer Parkin is a Toronto artist who has performed and recorded under the name Ayria since 2003. 13 Stitches is her first full length album since 2022’s This Is my Battle Cry. Time has not made Ayria more mellow. 13 Stitches is a powerful and beat driven synth/electronica album. The music is aggressive, yet each song has a strong melody. Ayria does not pull punches and this album, which on the surface, is a break-up album. But if one digs deeper, it is really about empowerment, strength, surviving and coping.

13 Stitches is Ayria’s sixth solo album (she was in the band Epsilon Minus) and over those albums she has developed as a writer and artist. She has developed her own style and incorporates a great many genres and influences into her music. “Turn Of The Tide,” for example, is a dramatic song that borrows from the 1980s synthpop. But Ayria takes that and molds it into her own sound and energy. Then there are songs like “Maniac” which initially feel playful and are more dance-oriented love songs, but then quickly take a few turns and twists. And, then songs like “Antihero” which is four minutes of well written anger. Ayria is not messing around with this song, and she is excellent at getting her point across.

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The album ends with the epic “Turn Into Gold,” which does dip its toes into the 1980s synth sounds but Ayria is smart and she takes the song in a different direction. It is catchy, powerful, and is the perfect way to bring the album to a close. It also puts to rest the argument that synth-based electronica cannot be emotional or personal. In the right hands, like Ayria’s, the music has depth and range.

13 Stitches is a brilliant album that takes the listener into Ayria’s world. Along with producer Sebastian R. Komor has created a powerful, memorable, and exciting album. Her vocals are strong and are emotive. The title of the album is brilliant, as it refers to the 13 songs of hurt, pain and survival but it is not doom and gloom. There is actually humour throughout the songs. This is music that one can dance to but also listen and enjoy on other levels. 13 Stitches is simply a great way to spend an hour.

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