Monika

Monika is the twelfth studio album by British recording artist Alesha. It was independently released by Holy Trinity Entertainment for free streaming on 27 August 2021, followed by an international retail release distributed by Fusion Records on 10 September 2021. The album was produced with Algerian-French record producer Henri Mohammed, who collaborated with Alesha on her previous album Visible Light (2020). Unlike its predecessor, an optimistic dance album inspired by disco and house music, Monika features a foreboding and atmospheric tone in terms of musical and lyrical direction.

The concept album criticizes contemporary policies of the world's governments by presenting a dystopian, technocratic vision. Its songs explore themes frequently found in works of science fiction, including artificial intelligence, corporate power, and the simulation hypothesis. Alesha said the album was inspired by "late capitalism, extreme wealth, and Big Tech." Musically, Monika has been described as electronica and avant-pop, drawing influences from such diverse subgenres as industrial, nu-metal, progressive house, and trance.

The album's release on an eponymous domain was accompanied by a "virtual portal" featuring anime-inspired lyric videos, minigames, short narratives, and a distinct visual identity. The retail release was accompanied by a 46-minute narrative film project also titled Monika. Alesha later released a Monika fan zine.

Preceded by "Mortal", the album was both a critical and commercial success. It shifted 150,000 units in its debut tracking week (the best first-week sales of Alesha's career) and spent two weeks at number one. Alesha released two further singles from the album, "Suck My Soul" and "Upswing".

Track listing
All lyrics written by Alesha; all music composed by Alesha and Henri Mohammed.


 * 1) "Mortal"
 * 2) "Controller"
 * 3) "Suck My Soul"
 * 4) "The Boot" (Interlude)
 * 5) "God from Her"
 * 6) "Upswing"
 * 7) "Intricate Dancer" (Interlude)
 * 8) "Mountaintops"
 * 9) "Destroy"
 * 10) "Artificial Lamb" (Interlude)
 * 11) "Conduit"
 * 12) "Timelines"
 * 13) "(Remember Me)"