BABii - “ZERO”

SXSW 2022 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 4

Pairs Well With…Elohim, XYLØ, Vérité

At their core, BABii’s songs are straight dance pop numbers, but her penchant for eclectic melodies and chippy production give her music texture amid her expressive, bouncy beats. The UK artist’s vocal approach is understated amid the sometimes big music underneath, using her instrument with wispiness while still right on top of the rhythm. It’s like a soft hop, moving and grooving but filled with peeking mystery. Her latest full-length is 2021’s MiiRROR, a collection balanced with up- and downtempo numbers that float naturally track to track. Dancefloor moments come in spurts rather than single cohesion as BABii embraces the void firstly on MiiRROR. It’s a quality that continues on recent follow-up single “ZERO”, one of the more electric songs in BABii’s catalog and the closest to straight pop, but is just weird enough to not hit the listener over the head. (Kevin McStravick)