Back in Ashnikko’s Candy-Colored Chaos

With “Trinkets,” the pop disruptor ushers in a louder, more autobiographical era.

Ashnikko has never been one to play by pop’s rules—and with their sophomore album, Smoochies (out October 17th), the pop disruptor leans even further into maximalist mischief. To celebrate the announcement, Ash dropped the video for “Trinkets,” a gleefully chaotic single that turns casual dating into a collectible game.

Premiered as Jack Saunders’ “Hottest Record” on Radio 1, “Trinkets” finds Ashnikko collecting lovers like shiny keychains, belting over a candy-coated storm of beats. Directed by Léa Esmaili, the video offers a window into Ash’s maximalist art world—doll parts, D&D dice, neon ashtrays, and boy-shaped souvenirs. It’s Ashnikko at their most indulgent, rejecting minimalism in favor of a loud, grotesque, and unapologetically playful aesthetic.

The upcoming Smoochies expands Ashnikko’s hybrid-pop universe into more autobiographical terrain. With 15 tracks of radical joy, it’s both absurd and intimate, pushing back against a world increasingly hostile toward femmes and marginalized voices. “Smoochies feels like DEMIDEVIL’s older sister,” Ashnikko explains. “It’s sexy, playful, and feminine, while toeing the line of grotesque and absurd… at the core of it all is personal autonomy and joyful whimsy.”

Fans can look forward to special vinyl editions, including a Black Ice exclusive with Urban Outfitters for U.S. listeners.