On her second album, the UK-based artist failed to fly the nest.
On her second album, the UK-based artist failed to fly the nest.
Shygirl has never been one to live up to her name.
Over the course of the UK singer-rapper-producer-DJ’s decadelong career, she’s been anything but timid. From the libidinous “BDE” to her sassy feature on Arca’s “Watch” and her club-shaking remix of Charli xcx’s “365,” Shygirl’s never been afraid to take a risk.
And her new record, “Swallow!,” released Nov. 6, is no different. Her second album trades her trademark electronic-tinged rap and pop for guitar-laced indie pop electronica.
Unfortunately, this departure didn’t pay off.
In addition to its name, the project’s rollout was filled with bird-heavy imagery — the cover art depicts a hatching chick — emphasizing a self-proclaimed “reintroduction.”
The sentiment of a rebirth is agreeable — that is, if she was reborn with heaps of negative karma.
Opener and lead single “Alyse” prepares an apt nest for the entirety of the album, with a guitar-backed spoken-word intro giving way to an explosion of booming synths and ad-libbed shouts. Seemingly the status quo of the album, the track seesaws between bombastic beats and pockets of ethereality.
“Déjà Vu” follows suit, its spacey guitar plucks blown away with a forward-pushing, glitchy drum pattern. At its midpoint, a siren-esque wail sings out, drowning in a sea of supernal strings.
In a similar manner, Shygirl’s hallmark whispered vocals become lost within the guitar-forward instrumental of “Lucky[Hymn].” Sure, it’s fine while it’s playing. But like a stick of Wrigley’s, it loses its relevance three minutes into its chew time.
“Submit,” “Altar” and “Luvli” are similarly forgettable, their heavy rock-influenced instrumentals bogged down by a sleepy-sounding performance and recalcitrant beats. In the same way water sizzles to steam in a pan, the second the sound waves hit my eardrum, my interest dissipated.
And while the fast-paced drum breaks of “Mantra” and “Real” are poised for the dance floor, their repetitive lyrics fail to leave an impression.
Unlike its name, “Sublime” is just okay. While it does feature the most singing out of the entire album, it’s buried under the tired formula of an instrumental made up of guitar strums and a club beat.
“No, I cannot stay (I don’t want it),” she sings on the outro.
And honestly, neither do I.
The closer “Eternal” is definitely sweet on the ears, with its shimmering strings reverberating through the background, intermingling with her half-sung lyrics. But that’s all that is — sweet, palatable even. But nowhere near memorable.
The album’s highlight is undoubtedly “Live The Life You Like,” an obvious return to form. The guitars actually make a statement here, as they’re distorted beyond recognition, providing Shy’s alluring voice an enthrallingly claustrophobic gargle of plucks — the sonic personification of a THC seltzer sloshing around in its can.
That’s exactly what made Shygirl’s previous projects so interesting: her exclusive demeanor, which bled through her music due to too-cool vocal delivery. But throughout much of “Swallow!,” she sounds meek and distant.
While “Swallow!” didn’t hatch a stillborn, it’s definitely not ready to fly the coop.
“Swallow!” is available to stream everywhere.
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