070 Shake - Guilty Conscience”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 9

Pairs Well With…FKA twigs, Sudan Archives, Solange

Part indie pop, part R&B, and part hip hop, 070 Shake embraces the space between genres on her debut full-length Modus Vivendi, a tripped out adventure overflowing with sonic creativity from front to back. Leaning into psychedelic pop modes, 070 Shake filters her sound through mid- and down-tempo grooves with delicate ease. Performing with a mix of sung and rapped intonations, 070 Shake adds effects gracefully and cautiously, giving an otherworldly feel to the spaceship claustrophobia the permeates through Modus Vivendi. There are some deep bass beats here too - while Modus Vivendi isn’t a go-to party record, there are big moments like the back-to-back punch of “Morrow” and “The Pines” that grounds a record that often is exploring freely within tracks, each song making its own unique statement. “Guilty Conscience” is a good example of this in an unexpected way, crafting a catchy pop gem livened with new wave synths instead of just going for the weird and wonderful. (Kevin McStravick)