EP Review: Shygirl – ‘ALIAS’
Posted: by The Editor
The tracks on ALIAS would feel apt if played during a party scene in a film. Or, it’d fit in well in the soundtracks of Skins or Euphoria, which are both shows laden with debauchery. That’s because this music is enthralling enough to stoke excitement, and the lyricism is tangential to hedonism.The EP’s title is good to keep in mind when approaching the themes. An alias is an alternate identity; a name someone uses to deviate from who they actually are. And some of the lines on this song don’t feel intended to be earnest but instead, to revel in for fun. There’s a few quips that idealize rebellion, like “why ride with the devil when I could give you hell?” and “Nobody come through badder than me.”
Although there are discernible pop and r&b influences, they don’t detract from the fact that Shygirl raps excellently. With the ability to enunciate but still move briskly, she speaks at a volume that feels suited for a one-on-one conversation. It works well against the sleek, bouncy sound found here, resulting in music that crawls into your psyche instead of barging in the way pop often does.
Shygirl posits believing you’re desirable as synonymous with being desirable. In other words, others will be drawn to you so long as you believe there’s no reason for them not to be. Like on “FREAK,” she, as you guessed, expounds on an archetype often fetishized by men – a woman who’s sexually ambitious. But here, when she calls herself a “freak” and insists “know you like to hear me say it” fourteen times, she’s the one who wields the most power. While she’s cognizant of the fact that men like just about anything tangential to sex, she takes satisfaction in knowing she’s the bearer of the thrill. Then when the skittering backing track unravels into a sleepy, coasting tune, she insists on a bang sesh on…the floor? Which seems less than ideal, but this is obviously an album, not an instructional manual. It feels like the sort of thing she said just to prove she could.
The more you observe Shygirl be whoever she wants, the more you might feel galvanized to follow suit. This is the sort of music that makes you want to put on your best outfit and boldest lipstick, then live life for yourself.
Disappointing / Average/ Good / Great /Phenomenal
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Bineet Kaur | @hellobineet
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