Nadine Shah's latest album, Sinkwas released to critics in 2020. Almost four years later, Shah is back with his latest album, dirty underneath. In this era of on-demand entertainment, attention spans last a little longer than Liz Truss's time at number 10, and 3+ years now seems like a long time between albums.
It's a shame though. Surely, an album crafted with care and attention and without the pressure of a lack of social media interactions is almost always better than a hastily assembled ticker for record companies and PR agencies. There are also some personal reasons for the gap in Shah's CV. The tragic loss of his mother to cancer during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a suicide attempt that caused his marriage to collapse. A stint in rehab later allowed Shah to hit the reset switch and find herself again. With everything that has happened in Shah's recent life, it is no surprise that we have had to wait for the continuation of the excellent Sink.
dirty underneath sees Shah team up with a new label – the newly formed EMI North, an arm of EMI that focuses on working with artists from across the north of the UK. dirty underneath It also happens to be the label's inaugural release. As one could imagine, dirty underground is mainly based on the recent turmoil in Shah's life. It would be hard to have it any other way, and Shah seems comfortable and confident even as he talks about the events of his later years and expresses his emotions. Listen to Sink and dirty underneath consecutively, and it's clear that this new release emphasizes the melodies and how they come together to help narrate the album.
Opener “Even Light” begins with ghostly synths before coming to life with a high beat and groovy bass beat. Shah's voice is as beautiful as ever, sounding silky smooth and contrasting with the occasional deliberate distortion of the synth. then comes dirty underground lead single, “Topless Mother”. This fast-paced song is inspired by a series of comically tense sessions with a counselor, who often burst into tears when a session didn't go as planned. In “Topless Mother”, Shah projects the image of her as a woman who is freed from the old shackles of herself, who is no longer chained to the pain of her past. Her sound is as powerful as her message.
In “Food For Fuel,” Shah demonstrates the influence Qawwali Sufi musicians such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Abida Parveen have had on her. Her harmonics soar as the drums beat the clock, which works well to bridge their lives before and after rehab. “You Drive, I Shoot” adopts a slower pace to create a catchy piece that explores the role of a daughter caring for her mother, who has become more childish due to her illness. Once again, Shah's voice works wonderfully to bring great depth of emotion, and hints of Middle Eastern influence blend well with the synths.
The next track on the album, “Keeping Score”, details Shah's personal experiences of sexual violence. Although the theme of the song is intimately tragic, it is also inspiring, with truly poetic words and a chorus as powerful as you would like. Next comes “Sad Lads Anonymous,” a harsh-sounding monologue in which Shah considers his inability to feel at home in any environment. While the song has a dark undertone, there are also comedic touches, as in the lines ' The sea isn't the only thing here that's full of shit / You think the cold water will save you.' It is worth paying special attention to the words: they are masterful in meaning and tone.
“Greatest Dancer” elevates the mood substantially, with soaring drums and synths and vocals carrying the listener through the track. There's a lot of pop influence at play here, making it one of the lighter tracks on the album. On first listen, it's also one of the catchier songs, although it gets tiring a little quicker than some of the other songs. In “See My Girl” the rhythm slows down again. Shah's voice sounds full of mourning as she depicts old images of her and her mother holding hands. Without taking anything away from the lyrics that are heard throughout dirty underneath, the words heard in “See My Girl” draw more attention than the melody. This change in style works well to keep the listener's attention through a less catchy song.
“Twenty Things” takes an intimate look at Shah's time in rehab. While he lost one relationship during that period, he gained many more in a perhaps unexpected place. In “Twenty Things,” Shah talks about these relationships formed while he was in rehab and his love for the people he met, regardless of their background. The biographies of some of the people Shah met are movingly profound and his words ring straight from his heart. There is as much emotion here as anywhere else dirty underneath songs. “Hyperrealism” is a dreamlike look back at his marriage and how love was not enough to keep him alive. It is slow and intimate, sounding light but, on the contrary, sad in nature.
dirty underneath It concludes with “French Exit”, a song that takes its name from the act of leaving a social event without saying goodbye. It's a fitting title to end an album, but the name goes beyond simply serving as bookends. It is related to Shah's suicide attempt (but fortunately failed). The stark synths create a sense of great sadness during this chapter of Shah's life, but are also a reminder that she is out, that part is over, and a new chapter is beginning for the talented artist.
So while it took some time for Nadine Shah to create dirty underneath, the big question is, was it worth the wait? The answer is a resounding yes'. dirty underneath It's full of feeling from start to finish, but there's never the sense that Shah is dramatizing his recent experiences for attention. Shah has also been careful to discuss his suicide attempt without glorifying it in any way, and while everyone has their own story, in Shah's work many will find the strength to fight their own struggles. Much attention has also been paid to the album's sound. It has been carefully crafted to add atmosphere to Shah's story and make it as musically beautiful as it is. From beginning to end, dirty underneath It is a wonderful musical journey that you will want to experience.
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