‘SHAPESHIFTER’ marks the debut album of the musician’s solo project, arriving hot on the heels of two lead singles from the record.
The title-track ‘Shapeshifter’ is, as its name suggests, a mystical hit, tied up neatly with a funky, jazz ribbon. With ethereal vocals looping over some bebop inspired beats: “Let’s get away / Let’s go some place…” before a dazzling solo on the keys brings the track to its natural boiling point.
Softly spoken, ominous, yet spiritually evocative, the lyrics “Nothing but water in changing forms…” bring the track to a close, setting the tone for an album that promises to be just as intriguing and experimental.
In a different vein, ‘dtl’ brings an element of gorgeously low-fi summer-inspired nostalgia, grappling with the contrasting subjects of love, loss of a place, and acceptance: “Whenever we start to leave, I love this city… I’m always down to leave with you”. Gorgeous strings tie this track together, conjoining quirky and cheeky lyricism and vocals reminiscent of early Outkast.
Tracks like ‘Leavenworth’, ‘Moonwort’, and ‘Sempervirens’ have a distinctly silken and magical texture to them – songs that have the potential to put the alternative jazz sphere back into focus of those that only dabble in the genre.
A definite gem within the record, ‘Scumbag Futch’ keeps the lighthearted nature of ‘SHAPESHIFTER’ going strong, proving to potentially be the most misleading track-name for a song but in the best possible way.
The very phrase ‘love song’ might bring a bad taste to the mouth, but ‘Midnite Mine’ is just that. A stunning track both sonically and poetically – “I am love / It’s the only thing I am anymore” – this cut feels like a real insight into YEARN’s heart and soul, a welcome characteristic of a debut record.
Groovy and dance-inducing, ‘Springtime Will Never Come’ has the opposite effect. Oozing with a pop assuredness, not too dissimilar from Tom Misch’s ‘Lost In Paris’, it instead sonically captures those perfect summer nights we all know and long for so well. A to-be saviour for those winter nights that will come around too soon.
Introduced and interluded with lullabies and repeated lyrics, the album feels like a true piece of art, carefully curated to fulfill YEARN’s solo vision while contributing something poignant and vivid to their category – or rather, categories. Closing with ‘Dakobad Lullaby’, YEARN brings us full circle to the title track, the outro echoing “Let’s get away / Let’s go some place…”, giving the album a cyclical, dreamlike finish.
Laced with lo-fi, jazz, pop, and bedroom serenades, ‘SHAPESHIFTER’ is certainly nothing but transcendent. If you’re looking for a piece of tangible escapism, this is the new record for you.
Ruby Brown
Image: ‘SHAPESHIFTER’ Official Album Cover
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