Much like her home city of Berlin, LACODA carries within herself a musical melting pot. While most easily categorized as indie pop, her songs stretch far beyond the conventional bounds of genre. Fear No Ghost, her debut album is cinematic yet pointed, at one moment unfolding an endless desert before us, at another, offering us an eye-level view of visceral human experience, all guided by her sonorous voice and inviting aura. 

Verena Wickel (aka LACODA) was born in Berlin and was immersed in electronic music from an early age. Even in this musical landscape, she was drawn to lyrically rich and harmonically driven songs. On Fear No Ghost, Wickel acknowledges the Berlin basements of her youth with synth-heavy and spacious production. The album’s musical content, however, showcases the influence of her musical heroes like Lana del Ray, Sevdaliza, Joni Mitchell, and Com Truise. Haunting melodies encapsulate Lacoda’s lyrical exploration of womanhood all bookended by stoic guitars, pulsating rhythms, and enigmatic production.

“I found that the best way forward was retracing my steps, not just musically but in life,” says Wickel of her creative process. “By coming to terms with my own femininity, I’ve become strong enough to be vulnerable. This allows me to create music for a future I believe in.”

Fear No Ghost is available on 07/28/23 on all streaming platforms.