Shalom shines on her debut album 'Sublimation'!

American solo artist Shalom has developed all aspects of her music rapidly since her debut singles last year! There has always been signs of her obvious talent yet her new album demonstrates just how far she’s come, quickly hitting, and perhaps exceeding, her potential in a matter of two years.

The new album ‘Sublimation’ is a commanding debut full of clever 21st century lyrical musings that are introspective and totally relatable. Sonically, the record is full of fun and colour as the album artwork suggests yet it also has moments of more reflective poignancy that highlights the emotive songwriting range that she has at her disposal.

The opening track ‘Narcissist’ is a stand out on the album. The background synth textures create a moody atmosphere while the thick drum sound creates a dense energy that envelopes you in Shalom’s angsty world. It is vocally smooth and melodic yet filled with an agitated rage and grungey swagger. When the tambourine comes in it just lifts the hypnotic sound and creates a cool and catchy chorus that kicks off the album in perfect style.

The lyrics “I need to evaporate and receive validation at the same time” from ‘Happenstance’ epitomise the modern day young adult dilemmas that her songwriting captures. The track has a funky urban groove. It is flavoured with bright guitar chords and popping electronics yet it is always driven by that danceable beat. It is a more upbeat track than ‘Narcissist’ yet it’s still filled with that modern-age sense of existential dread in the lyrics and thus is a fantastic way to display her range of songwriting while maintaining hype album’s core themes.

Her lyrics really shine throughout the album as she combines relatable teenage musings with niche sentiments that are truly moving such as the lines “you know that I miss you, you know that I love you, you know that my mum still prays for you” in ‘Concrete’. The whole of that song in fact is a beautifully heartfelt composition that, yet again, demonstrates her incredible maturity and skill in songwriting and sonic construction. The track has a cinematic quality with swooping strings adding a romantic curve and her vocals becoming just a touch more sentimental.

There’s so much to explore on this album and it’s a fantastic debut that displays Shalom’s rich tapestry of musical and lyrical expression. Dive in and enjoy!