When you think about it, the most exciting EP of the year so far was always going to come from a 19-year-old from Las Vegas with an androgynous voice and a background in country music.
Shamir Bailey works atTopshop, but also creates subtle, disco-influenced music that grabs your hand and makes it click the "Replay" button." If It Wasn't True," the lead track from his Northtown EP is just... right. It is hard to imagine that Bailey originally recorded country songs and folk music, as his voice fits this genre like a glove.
The song is a break-up song, but (eventually) from a positive point of view. Rather than churning out generic self-pitying verses, Bailey resolves the issue in a more realistic fashion. With lyrics like "I can be with you without feeling down, yeah we can speak without a single shout," it feels honest and easy to relate to, an invaluable gift to have in songwriting.
Like many of the best disco songs, the hooks are repetitive but progressive, culminating in a dizzying synth solo that threatens to spin the song out of control. In the main, though, it is smart and engaging, not to mention self-assured.
Much has been said of Shamir's voice, with the word "androgynous" used everywhere you look. To merely describe Bailey's voice as "androgynous" really does no more than scratch the surface. The lightness of tone, coupled with the power produced later on, results in a mature and effortless vocal.
This is a must-listen song, and it won't let you down.
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