Music Editor Holly Adler reviews South London experimental pop artist Shygirl’s new EP Club Shy.
After splashing onto the experimental pop scene back in 2016, Shygirl has only been giving us an ass-shaking dance track after the other since. The South London bombshell released her latest EP Club Shy on February 9th 2024, just in time for Valentine’s Day. My expectations were high, as I anticipated her latest record was going to be nothing short of fiery and exciting. The six-track EP is jammed with dance beats and in typical Shygirl fashion, features different artists on each track, such as British artist SG Lewis and German producer Boys Noize. It’s as if 2000s club classics got an experimental pop makeover.
It’s as if 2000s club classics got an experimental pop makeover.
‘4eva’ opens the EP, a song that radiates early 2000s dance music vibes, with Shygirl’s sweet and sultry vocals complimenting the beats perfectly. The following song, ‘f@k€’ speeds things up, and despite being a short track, the bouncy rhythm will make you have it on repeat. The highlight of the album for me is ‘mr useless,’ which was previously released as a single on February 7th 2024. The song, featuring established UK artist SG Lewis, opens with the extremely catchy chorus of Shygirl repeating ‘never needed you’. The fast-paced yet melodic track is the perfect club song and makes you feel as if you’re a teenager in 2001 adorning your favourite Juicy Couture tracksuit.
A very close second to ‘mr useless’ for me is the closing track ‘thicc’, which also features that same old-school club classic feel. The vocals in this one are what I believe German singer Cascada would have sounded like had she been reborn in 2024, and the accompanying music video for the song does not falter in its emulation of the Y2K aesthetic as it revolves around bright lights and sensuality. The red, pulsating and shimmering club visuals are perfectly suited to mimic the atmosphere of a club and helps make the song a three-dimensional sensory experience.
This EP cannot be mentioned without acknowledging the two standout tracks: ‘mute’ and ‘tell me’, with the former veering slightly away from the Y2k club classic feel and sounding more like modern-day house music to break up the EP. ‘tell me’ brings us straight back to the theme of the EP with a fun and fast past dance track. While the EP exclusively belongs to the dance genre, it wouldn’t be Shygirl without her clever integration of modern and dark pop music scattered throughout the tracks. From the frankly mind-expanding and earth-rattling level of production, to the nostalgic and transcendental lyrics, one thing is for sure, Shygirl made this record with her fans and target audience in mind, and we’re all going to give it the time and attention it deserves.