- Shyboi finds the sweet spot between soca, dancehall and peak-time techno.
- When I listen to Shyboi's music, I often recall a late-night conversation with a friend, in which she noted the resonance between the propulsive energy of West Indian music and rave. The Jamaican born, New York-based artist makes music that brings out the best elements of soca, dancehall and high-speed techno, with an effect that compels movement with immediacy. In her debut EP, Rave Down Babylon, she takes the same rhythms and slick-tongued vocals that evoke the halcyon moments of Brooklyn's Labor Day parade, pairing it with the charged-up euphoria of Brooklyn techno.
The opener, "Head Top," is a ridiculous adrenaline rush, riddled with deep, scratchy shouts that narrate each acid-fueled build-up. Produced in collaboration with frequent collaborator False Witness, "Overheat" sees a dizzying interplay between whistles, chimes and call-and-response lyrics awash with paranoia. The closing track, "Skin," leans closer towards house. Reverbed vocals and a sultry bassline hover above a hefty kick, giving the cut a wistful feeling of haze and fatigue. Shyboi has trotted out another striking homage to the Caribbean through the lens of techno.
Tracklist01. SHYBOI - Head Top
02. SHYBOI - Whistle Hard
03. FALSEBOI - Overheat
04. FALSEBOI - Skin