‘Sometimes the world is at its most alive when everyone else is asleep. On ‘Undead’ Anji Kaizen takes that rather odd sensation and turns it into a ghostly song about being drained, about dreams and about finding a place where you can still be alive.’
Released 23rd October 2026 (just before Halloween), “Undead” by Anji Kaizen is a dark, moody alternative pop single with a very personal story at its heart. It’s inspired by Anji’s own experience of long COVID which left her with chronic fatigue and a very unwell state for two years. She’d be quite drained and unwell during the day, but in her dreams (particularly at night) she’d be completely free and alive. That contrast between being dead in the day and being undead at night is the core of the song. Rather than just going in with a ‘spooky Halloween’ concept she’s used it as a vehicle to tell a very personal story.
The whole concept of the song gives the title a rather poignant emotional resonance. To be ‘undead’ is to be in some kind of limbo state, between the two worlds. For Anji that’s exactly how she feels, as though she’s existing in a state of disconnection from normal life, yet in the dream world she finds another facet of herself. There’s a rather unsettling quality to that, but also a certain freedom. The night becomes a time when the constraints of the day no longer seem to apply. It’s a rather different take on the usual Halloween imagery of the night, ghosts and the supernatural. At its heart it’s really a story about endurance and the desire to feel like yourself again. Produced by Micah Prescott of Electric Mallet this gives the concept a very atmospheric musical backdrop. It’s built around Anji’s original voice memo with her vocals as the lead and Micah’s vibraphone providing the accompaniment. It’s a very lofi/chillhop kind of arrangement with a bit of Big Gigantic and Griz in there. The vibraphone is a very unusual instrument to use and it’s used to create a dreamy, slightly mysterious atmosphere without quite losing the alternative pop feel. It’s not an overbearing production at all, it just gives Anji’s voice the space to do what it does best which is to convey the emotion and character of the song. It’s a very interesting fusion of the two artists’ styles in the end with a more accessible pop direction. Anji’s voice is absolutely key to the track. She’s a poet in her songwriting, with a very confessional style, a very powerful voice and a real ability to layer harmonies. Her influences are Lights, Halsey, Ellie Goulding and Hayley Williams (all of whom are artists whose music is essentially expressive vocals over an alternative pop production). On this record that vocal approach is combined with Micah’s more jazz oriented instrumental work which is a collaboration that really takes them into a space that neither of them have really gone in before as a duo.
‘Undead’ is also a big one for Electric Mallet. Micah had been primarily an instrumental guy in the past, making his own vibraphone and custom beats into very uplifting, atmospheric chillhop. Working with Anji was the opportunity to add lead vocals and create a more radio-friendly pop song that you could actually sing along to. It all started when Micah got in touch with Anji after having followed her work with a number of other indies. They started off with Anji sending over a voice memo and from there the song was developed together via Zoom, messages and files. Despite working remotely of course both artists were very much involved in the recording and mixing process. Anji recorded her vocals at her own Kaizen Music Studio in the backyard using a Shure SM7bB mic. Micah recorded the vibraphone in his own home studio. The fact that they were able to work through it all with such differing schedules is a testament to the strength of the creative link that they have. “Undead” by Anji Kaizen and Electric Mallet is more than just a seasonal release with a rather unambitious title. It’s a song that takes a very personal experience and gives it a very tangible musical form. It’s a haunting song, very much in the spirit of the season, but it’s also a very accessible alternative pop song. The fact that it’s released at Halloween is obviously a big factor in its appeal, but it’s the story behind it that gives the track such an enduring emotional quality. It’s a collaboration born of vulnerability, creativity and a real desire to find a way to be alive when life gets tough.
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