Human / Machine / Hope: The World of Zanias
Image credit: Photograph by Georgia Wells. Model: Alison Lewis (Zanias, Linea Aspera). Styling: Gail Sorronda. Makeup: Dyan Copeman. Studio: Studio Atelier (@studioatelierbrisbane). Shoes: Bared.
Alison Lewis is the creative force behind Zanias, has been haunting underground clubs around the world with her instantlyrecognisable voice and uniquely ethereal electronic productions since 2011, withthe spawning of her first project Linea Aspera in London. As a solo artist, based in Berlin since 2013, she explores a more alien and spherical palette of sounds, fusing her coldwave past with the experimental pop influences of Fever Ray, Enya, early Grimes and Caroline Polachek.
With her latest album ‘Cataclysm’, Zaniasmakes a poignant call for revolution of both politics and consciousness in theface of humanity’s existential threats of war and climate collapse, conveyedthrough her signature of deeply personal and poetic lyricism. Every song inhabitsits own aesthetic universe and rhythm, featuring elemental fusions of post-industrial, witchhouse, trance, breakbeats and hyperpop. As with all her previous albums, Zanias carves her own genre from the solidified ashes of her influences.
In 2025 Zanias created a whole new live set with London-based drummer Dream Dilate Decay. Industrial polyrhythms, tribal intensity and a vocal performance akin to a banshee characterise the sonic ritual conjured by the duo, striking a delicate balance of ethereal fragility and iron strength.
VAULT caught up with the musician to talk about her collaboration with Gail Sorronda.
Zanias emerged from the darkwave duo Linea Aspera in the early 2010s. Lewis established a solo practice that blends coldwave atmospherics, driving techno structures, and introspective lyricism.
Her work explores themes of alienation, technology, mysticism and transformation, delivered through a distinctive, crystalline vocal style. Albums such as Into the All and Chrysalis place her within a lineage of experimental electronic artists while maintaining a pop sensibility. Beyond recording, Zanias is an immersive live performer whose practice often intersects with visual art, fashion (in this case, Gail Sorronda) and speculative aesthetics, cultivating a devoted international following across underground club and art scenes.
VAULT spoke to Lewis while she was back to Australia.
Alison, you’ve worked on multiple musical projects over the years. How does Zanias differ today from when you first began releasing music?
I sort of fell into releasing music at a time long before I knew what I was doing. I barely knew what reverb was when recording the first Linea Aspera album, so everything was an experiment, and I was very dependent on my collaborators. Even my first Zanias records were largely driven by Alex Akers’ production (from Forces). Now I produce everything myself and feel very in tune with who I am as an artist and a person, so the musical output is a far more authentic expression of me. I think I've struck upon quite a unique signature sound that I'm really happy with.
What was the conceptual starting point for your new album, and how did it take shape over time?
I never set out with a single mission when writing a new album. The songs are written as individual pieces of a puzzle and eventually come together under a particular theme, which usually relates to whatever I'm processing at the time, since music is basically my therapy. Every album is a process of self-discovery because it naturally reflects the themes of my experiences during the timeframe of its creation. 'Cataclysm' resulted from spending the last few years watching our civilisation collapse in slow motion, and I was thinking about how I could positively contribute to rebuilding whatever comes next. The filmmaker Toni Cade Bambara said, 'the role of the artist is to make revolution irresistible', and I take that role very seriously.
Your work often balances emotional intensity with precision and control. How did you navigate that tension on this new record?
I think precision comes naturally when you're working on sound design in the digital space. It's a reflection of the technology at my fingertips. I guess that tension is the collision of human and machine that makes electronic music so effective to me. I navigate it by diving straight in!
Image credit: Photograph by Georgia Wells. Model: Alison Lewis (Zanias, Linea Aspera). Styling: Gail Sorronda. Makeup: Dyan Copeman. Studio: Studio Atelier (@studioatelierbrisbane). Shoes: Bared.
Lyrically, what themes were you most compelled by while writing this album?
In a bit of a pivot from my previous work, I felt the need to explore the concept of hope. How we can keep going in the face of witnessing the horrors of genocide through our phones, of watching climate disasters creep ever closer to our doorsteps and seeing the predatory classes of billionaires remain totally complacent and unwilling to take any steps to fix the broken, violent world they benefit from. I've been very inspired by the idea of matriarchy, true matriarchy: a society centred on the safety and wellbeing of children that prioritises community over hierarchy. I studied Palaeolithic archaeology at university and started a master’s in human evolution, and it always struck me that we lived in such societies for hundreds of thousands of years, which makes patriarchal civilisation the anomaly in our history. I really believe such a structure could be updated for the modern world. We just need to break free of the idea that anything we're currently experiencing is inevitable. It isn't. It's all made up and can be made up differently.
Your voice is a powerful instrument in your work. How has your relationship with your voice evolved in this release?
I'm certainly becoming more confident with it and less afraid of really expressing myself fully and directly. There's no need to hide in the shadows anymore, or drench things in reverb. I also really love pitching it up and down, creating alternate versions of myself of all genders. I'm having a lot more fun with it.
Berlin has long been associated with electronic music and experimentation. How does living there continue to shape your sound?
Berlin was certainly a vital part of developing my understanding of dancefloors, and I learned to produce music for that context there. I can't say I draw much inspiration from it lately, aside from a few good friends there who inspire me with their feedback and work ethic. The city is so focused on DJ and club culture, and I feel my sound is veering away from that, even if I can't resist employing a few trance elements.
How do you approach production? Do tracks begin with rhythm, melody, atmosphere, or something more conceptual?
They always start with drums and a melody. Then I vocalise over that, chop it up, and see where it goes. Lyrics sometimes appear immediately, and other times they don't make themselves known until the entire track is constructed. Like the album itself, every song is a 'discovery' rather than a 'creation' process. I'm figuring out what it's supposed to be. A lot of tracks begin as experiments with something new I've learned. For example, in 'Dawn' I was trying out a new method of modulating the synth sounds to create that weird stutter, and in 'Ghostbird' I was messing around with a new plugin for altering the formants of my voice. But the drums are always the first step.
Image credit: Photograph by Georgia Wells. Model: Alison Lewis (Zanias, Linea Aspera). Styling: Gail Sorronda. Makeup: Dyan Copeman. Studio: Studio Atelier (@studioatelierbrisbane). Shoes: Bared.
What emotional or physical response do you hope this new album elicits from listeners?
I hope it has listeners feeling less alone about experiencing despair about the state of the world, while ultimately offering solace and hope that we can indeed make the necessary changes. Above all, I want this album to inspire us to dream of a life beyond the crises of the current era.
Turning to your collaboration with Gail Sorronda, an Australian fashion icon. How did that partnership begin?
Gail wrote to me about using some of my music in one of her shows. I was already a fan because a friend of mine had posted some of her work many years ago, and I remember being very excited that a designer in Brisbane was making things I actually liked! My parents live on the Sunshine Coast, and I've never lived in Queensland myself, but when I visit I'm always curious about what's going on there. I was pleasantly surprised to see a darker style explored in such a warm and sunny place.
So, of course, I said yes to her making use of my music in the show, and I loved watching the videos afterwards.
Gail has a distinctive visual language. What resonated with you about her work?
I adore a strong silhouette, and when I was a teenager, I was obsessed with romantic 18th- and 19th-century European fashion, so Gail's modernisation of features from those eras immediately struck me as uniquely tailored to my taste. And I've always favoured monochrome with a few splashes of bold colour. My wardrobe is 90% black.
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