Zanias
We sat down with Alison Lewis, better known as Zanias, to talk about her powerful new album Cataclysm. A key figure in Berlin’s electronic scene, Zanias blends raw emotion with bold experimentation, testing new aspects of her sound across multiple genres.Cataclysm, as she confirms it’s her most personal and politically charged work to date.
‘Cataclysm’ is a poignant call for revolution of both politics and consciousness, conveyed through ten distinct songs written and produced by Zanias between 2020 and 2024. Each piece of music inhabits its own aesthetic universe and rhythm, featuring elemental fusions of coldwave, italo disco, witchhouse, trance, breakbeats, hyperpop and even a touch of drum and bass. The unique amalgamation is best described as a post-industrial ethereal wave, of Zanias’s very own signature.
Hey Alison, another chat — it’s starting to feel like our little ritual! Always happy to have you around. What’s changed for you since we toured together? We’ve noticed you’ve been really productive — could you tell us a bit more about what you’ve been working on?
I’ve traveled to the islands of Milos and Fuerteventura to film a few music videos, and then spent many weeks editing those videos! I also went on a little tour with Linea Aspera in the spring, and traveled to Crete to play at Deep South Trip Festival in July. It’s been a really lovely year and I’ve felt like I can focus on my work at a pace that isn’t frantic and stressful anymore. Releasing ‘Cataclysm’ has been my primary focus and for the first time ever, I haven’t felt too stressed by the process. It’s mostly been really fun and rewarding.
‘Cataclysm’ feels like both a personal and planetary form of your escapism. What was the emotional starting point for this album?
It’s the result of the cognitive dissonance stemming from my deep inherent belief in humanity’s ability to rise above all challenges while our civilisation appears to be collapsing in slow motion. Climate change, the rise of fascism, and multiple genocides make it difficult to hold much hope, but without hope we’re truly doomed.
I feel it in my body when the world grows too heavy – I lose my motivation, feel heavy and exhausted. And the best way to fight that feeling is to take action. Artists are responsible for creating purpose and direction for the wider culture, and I take that responsibility very seriously. We are not just here to entertain. So I wanted to create a piece of work that could foster a healthy mix of hope and acceptance, to contribute something meaningful to building a brighter future.
I don’t make too many conscious decisions in my music production. I’m directed purely by what sounds good to me, and I feel more like a conduit than a creator. I’m ‘discovering’ how something should sound rather than deciding it should sound that way. The fusion of genres came about from my personal taste over these last few years. So definitely intuitive!
You describe ‘Cataclysm’ as a “call for revolution of both politics and consciousness.” What does that revolution look like to you?
It looks like us all directing our energies towards building a world founded upon seeking harmony rather than dissonance. Accepting that our many differences are in fact necessary components to the macro-organism of humanity rather than viewing them as perpetual threats and inconveniences. I get really worried when I see people fighting over tiny details about how things should be done, rather than figuring out how to learn from each other. Above all I want to see us recognise community and nature as our strongest allies, since both are currently being disastrously eroded and I think it’s the reason we’re struggling so much. There are just so many ways in which our current world has things backwards and upside down, and bit by bit I’d like to see them turn around. The first step is recognising that we all have a role to play, and that even the smallest efforts are still useful and worthwhile.
Zanias, you worked with Trey Frye on additional production and Alain Paul on mastering. What did their input bring to the final sound of Cataclysm?
Trey’s additions can mostly be heard in the details of the drums and various subtle effects throughout the record, and the absolute shine of the final mixes, particularly with my voice. Since I’m such a huge fan of the music he makes it felt like he immediately understood what I was aiming for and it all happened very naturally. Alain has been my go-to for mastering for many years, since he never fails to give the tracks the perfect level of punch.
You’ve collaborated with so many artists over the years. Do you feel like collaboration still challenges you or reveals new sides of yourself?
Oh yes, every time I collaborate with a new person I learn a new way of doing things. I am noticing though that I’m finding it harder with time to collaborate with too many new people. I’m becoming a little more discerning about exactly how things should sound for me, so unless someone creates music that really speaks directly to my heart, I can’t just throw vocals on top. With my latest long-term collaboration, which will be announced soon, there’s certainly a sense that I’m delivering a different angle of myself, and that’s been really cool to explore.
Your live shows are powerful and emotionally intense, we were amazed with your hybrid which we had the pleasure to explore during our event in Berghain and Asia tour, now with the addition of live drums, seems like another element is sorted. Zanias, how did that come into the project, and how does it shift the energy of your performance?
Thank you! The drums were a natural progression from previous iterations of the project since I really wanted to have someone on stage delivering movement as well as sound. I realised drums made more sense than most other instruments, since one thing that remains consistent across all my tracks is that the beats are quite powerful and energetically cathartic. Finding Dream Dilate Decay at the time that I did was very fortuitous, and his enthusiasm to take part has been a tremendous gift. I’m so deeply appreciative to be working with someone as hardworking and passionate as he is. On stage I feel like we can feed off one another’s output in a very symbiotic fashion, and now that I’ve freed myself from my own drum pads, I can jump around a lot more than I used to. Really putting my whole body into the show, which for some reason I never felt like I could do.
We’re super excited about our upcoming event at Tresor 18 September which is your birthday , which will feature your live set alongside a blend of fashion, art, and music. We’re working to transform the legendary venue into something fresh. Zanias, what would be your personal contribution or ‘piece of the cake’ in that transformation?
I’m super excited too! I hope I’m able to contribute some emotionally salient moments of shared euphoria and give the audience something to reflect upon well after the show is over. I’m looking forward to us all co-creating a night to remember. It’s also my birthday so I’ll be celebrating that and hopefully have a tonne of friends in the room!
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Our next event : TRESOR – Berlin with Zanias – 18.09.2025 – get pre-sale tix
