After a couple of singles under her belt, Sydney-based, Papau New Guinea-born future-soul artist NGAIIRE shares her new album entitled 3. The title is a reference to the number of projects she has released, with this new one being the third. The 10 track project is a return to roots for the singer who physically took time to go back to her country to absorb the culture in different ways to add to her creative process of making the LP.
The project opens up on a solemn note with the title track. The vocal-driven track comprises layered vocal runs, airy melodies plastered against a moody string backdrop. This is followed by the electro-pop aesthetics of "Shiver" which captures her inner struggles and her eventual acceptance of what will be will be. In "Shoestring" she details her unconditional love and the extent she would go to do the right thing for love. The production here takes the cake with its dark cinematic textures and rousing rhythms while NGAIIRE's commanding vocals cut through the mix like a hot knife through butter. On tracks like "Boom" and "Takeover," the singer brings distinct styles to the forefront. On the former, her bright pop stylings come into play over an eclectic rhythmic backdrop while on the latter we get more of a future-soul vibe. The project also has the previously released singles "Closer" and "Him" and both fit nicely between the plethora of sounds here.
From listening to the project, it's clear NGAIIRE doesn't like to be put in a box and she purposely infuses quite an array of musical styles and with the aid of her producers, listeners can get a full taste of her versatility. If you like dark, trippy pop, she has it in abundance and if your palette prefers eclectic soul stylings, you are definitely in the right place as well. 3 is NGAIIRE's third album following the neo-soul Lamentations and pop-soul Blastoma.
Get 3 on all DSPs here.
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