- The South London artist returns with an arsenal of sexually liberated pop anthems.
- Shygirl's music is the embodiment of sweet and sour. The South London artist first made waves in a slew of club mixes back in 2016, when she released the promising Sega Bodega-produced single, "Want More." On that cut and the following Cruel Practice EP, the marriage of Shygirl's delicate, albeit offhand, vocals and the high-strung production of fellow NUXXE co-pilot Bodega proved a formidable force.
On Shygirl's latest EP, ALIAS, she takes the vast spectrum of pop by storm, introducing us to her four alter egos: Baddie, Bonk, Bovine and Bae. Her vocals, typically packaged in a signature cool, cycle through phases of being self-assured and commanding, pitched-up and full of mischief, gravelly and brazen, or unwaveringly maximalist and swamped in autotune. She explores her sexual autonomy while also embracing the egotistical, indulgent facets of her desire. On the bass-heavy opener, "TWELVE," she's as smug as ever: "Only got a bad type / Get to know that side of me." "BAWDY" sounds like a homage to mid-'00s hip-hop, pitched somewhere between "Kids" by Sleigh Bells and J-Kwon's "Tipsy." "SLIME" is full of swagger, wrapped up in sticky zaps and a seductive "Truffle Butter"-style melody. Here, Shygirl sounds effortlessly intimidating as she asserts her enticing lover is "for the streets, bitch."
The EP also sees Shygirl try her hand at singing. On "SIREN," her cyborg cadence and harmonizing vocals fuel each build-up of the Eurodance closer. Her auto-tuned voice, satisfyingly artificial, takes center stage on "TASTY," too. Shygirl remains tough and unforgiving across ALIAS, and her voice as an artist has never been stronger. She's a full-blown pop star driven by her luscious fantasies.
Tracklist01. TWELVE
02. SLIME
03. FREAK
04. TASTY
05. LENG
06. BAWDY
07. SIREN