Vanessa John Releases Genre-Defying New EP ‘msgs from the abyss’

There’s something unsettling about Vanessa John’s music—in the best possible way. The Toronto-based songwriter and musician doesn’t craft songs so much as she channels them, and her latest release proves she’s tuned into frequencies most artists can’t even hear.

msgs from the abyss, which dropped today on rehab(it)recordings, feels less like a traditional EP and more like intercepted transmissions from somewhere between waking and dreaming. It’s John’s first major release, and honestly, it’s the kind of debut that makes you wonder what took so long to find her.

Vanessa John and her approach to music defies easy categorization—which seems to be exactly how she likes it. With Guyanese roots informing her diverse musical palette, she moves fluidly between acoustic ballads and electric feedback experiments. “Genre isn’t the point,” she explains. “I follow a feeling.” That philosophy runs through every track on the five-song collection, each one a distinct message written in whatever musical language felt true in the moment.

The EP opens with ‘msg no.1’, a 5:41 journey that immediately establishes John’s powerful vocals and signature cadence. It’s atmospheric and mysterious, setting the tone for what’s coming. What’s interesting is how she uses space in her music—there’s room to breathe, even when things get dense.

‘msg number two /wayfarers’ pushes further into experimental territory, layering digital percussion with distant water samples that ebb and flow like hidden currents. At over six minutes, it’s one of the longer tracks, but honestly, you won’t notice the time passing. Being purely instrumental, it gives the listener space to get lost in the layered textures and flowing water elements.

What’s striking is how John collaborates on select tracks without losing her distinct voice. ‘msg no.3’ features Alexandra Suisham and introduces dub reggae elements alongside atmospheric layers and perfectly placed brass. The cultural flair adds depth without feeling forced—it’s just another color in John’s expanding palette. The track has a full, immersive quality that draws you in completely.

‘msg no.4’ might be the EP’s most adventurous moment, blending R&B soul vocals with industrial-heavy bass and experimental darkness. There’s something here that recalls Massive Attack’s brooding electronic textures, but filtered through John’s own haunted sensibility. The contrast between her smooth vocals and the gritty production creates this tension that shouldn’t work but absolutely does.

The collection closes with ‘msg no.5’, a collaboration with Samantha Wyss that showcases some of the EP’s strongest songwriting. John’s vocals take center stage over atmospheric production, delivering lyrics that hit with surprising emotional weight. It’s the kind of song that gets better with repeated listens—you catch new details each time.

John’s journey in music started early—around age six, when she discovered what she calls “this frequency no one else could hear.” She taught herself to write and record, layering her voice “until it felt like a crowd,” creating songs for an audience of no one. That solitary beginning still informs her work today, and you can hear it in the intimate quality of these tracks.

“I didn’t ‘start’—I tuned in,” John reflects. “It started more like a haunting.”

Currently signed to rehab(it)recordings, John describes herself as a “reprobate” alongside her roles as songwriter, musician, and DJ. She’s built a presence across platforms—you can find her music on Spotify, her videos on YouTube, and shorter content on TikTok.

Don’t expect easy answers from these songs—John’s more interested in asking questions you didn’t know you had. Each track feels like a friend calling from a dream you once shared, intimate and strange in equal measure. It’s the kind of music that makes you want to put on headphones and disappear for a while.