London artist Alysha turns faith into something altogether more nocturnal on ‘Take It or Leave It’, a brooding blend of goth, new-wave and electronic textures that finds spirituality occupying unfamiliar territory, and we feature it here at LOCK.
Co-produced with Matt Rist, the track trades conventional gospel signifiers for shadowy synths, electronic pulses and an atmosphere steeped in late-night tension.
There’s a deliberate sense of provocation at work here. Alysha’s decision to place a conversation about God within a darker alternative framework, even incorporating the taboo imagery of 666, challenges the assumption that faith must arrive wrapped in familiar musical language. Rather than softening its subject matter, ‘Take It or Leave It’ embraces the friction between belief, temptation and personal boundaries, giving the track an identity that feels distinctly its own.
That willingness to exist between worlds has become increasingly central to Alysha’s artistic evolution. Her musical palette stretches from R&B and gospel through to the darker influence of Siouxsie & The Banshees, creating a foundation for an artist increasingly interested in pushing beyond conventional genre boundaries. Following her early releases and 2020 EP Midnight Rendezvous, a 2023 creative rebrand opened the door to a more mature and adventurous direction.
Recent tracks such as ‘Lord, Help Me’ and ‘Finer Things’ have continued that trajectory, the latter surpassing two million Instagram Reel views, while live appearances at Wild Paths and Forwards Festival have placed her alongside names including Greentea Peng, Hak Baker and The Jesus & Mary Chain.
‘Take It or Leave It’ ultimately feels less concerned with fitting into an established scene than carving out space somewhere between them. Dark, unconventional and knowingly provocative, it captures an artist becoming more assured in the contradictions that make her music interesting, and increasingly willing to let those contradictions lead the way.