Shamir dropped Ratchet, his debut album and my pick for Album of the Year (So Far), in May. Even with that relatively short window and touring, the ultra-young dance-pop star appears to be hard at work on a new album. He gave the audience at a Warsaw show the first glimpse of his new work, playing a tender, as-yet-unnamed piano ballad.
The track may signal a way forward for the young singer, who has hinted that his next album won’t sound like Ratchet. The song sounds a lot more like Northtown, the EP that first caused fans to take notice. The tempo and openness are far more reminiscent of Shamir’s aborted country music career than anything heard on his star-making debut album. And his androgynous voice and soaring falsetto earn Shamir every bit of those frequent Nina Simone comparisons.
For more Shamir, check out his interview with Mac DeMarco. The duo cover a wide range of subjects, from switching bodies to pet peeves, all while playing Jenga.
(Via SPIN)
