Album Review: Unlimited Ammo by Namasenda

By Michael Ybarra

Music Journalist

Hyperpop is a genre of music dominated by the likes of PinkPantheress, Dorian Electra, Charli XCX and many others, all of whom create music with swift electronic beats fit for an exciting house party. However, Namasenda, a Swedish artist, has been slowly carving out space for herself among these giants.

She’s been in the game since 2016, but her debut album was released in 2022, introducing her audience to a truly exciting, digital world. On the surface, Unlimited Ammo may seem shallow, but Namasenda uses innovative production choices to fully engulf listeners in a one-of-a-kind experience.

Most tracks sound like the audience is walking through a video game, and the genre changes as they are led deeper into the album. While some resemble the playfulness and sincerity of a Mario World title, others offer bombastic production reminiscent of active shooters, fitting the album’s title.

This album never becomes monotonous. Instead, Namasenda explores every electronic avenue presented to her, allowing her voice to skip back and forth and synths to blossom into falling stars.

“Demonic” featuring La Zowi boasts an aerated beat, alluding to an element of buoyancy. This track could fit into a multitude of scenarios, but it immediately reminded me of an anime fight between good and evil, one in which the two players are unfathomably powerful. Namasenda’s ability to conjure this type of image in the mind of the listener is to be applauded, and vivid imagery can be found throughout the album.

“Finish Him” featuring Joey Labeija echoes Gen Z’s sentiment to destroy those romantic partners who do not text back, to ruin them entirely. This track leans into a traditional hyperpop structure, but the subject matter, usually overdone, corny and obvious, is revived against the electronic backdrop. In other genres, talk of “ghosting” and “blocking” on social media would feel cringy and likely give listeners second-hand embarrassment, but the digital soundscape allows Namasenda to express resentment with finesse.

It is truly a marvel to see hyperpop in its many forms on Unlimited Ammo. While PinkPantheress takes a mellow, laid-back approach, Namasenda is not afraid to excavate everything the genre has to offer. On “Star,” the title literally input as a symbol, Namasenda adheres to what listeners may believe Hyperpop to be, but “Steel” featuring Hannah Diamond employs high-pitched arpeggiated synthesizers resembling stars themselves, a production element seemingly missing from “Star.” This playfulness really sets Namasenda apart from other artists in hyperpop.

Namasenda is still somewhat underground. With barely over 90 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, her career is just beginning. However, this means listeners and fans do not get as much content from her compared to other, more popular artists. In fact, the only song that received a music video from Unlimited Ammo was “No Regrets.”

This song is openly offensive. It almost feels like Namasenda is taunting the listener to aggravate her in some way. She wants to be understood as someone not to be trifled with, and the music video reflects this perfectly. As the blonde character, neither protagonist nor villain, wanders the halls looking for her target, they frequently clash with gunfire, adhering to the theme of Unlimited Ammo. The brunette character’s death alludes to Namasenda killing off her old self, fully blossoming into the character on the cover of Unlimited Ammo.

Namasenda is unafraid to discover new pathways in the Hyperpop genre. Her music is a pallet cleanser for those wanting the genre to offer something new, and her debut album is a testament to that. I cannot wait to see what she offers next.