Heterosexuality

Album review

Shamir is an artist who's always uncovering new territory -- and on Heterosexuality, it's different parts of himself. Ever since he left behind the mainstream success he stumbled into almost accidentally with his debut album, Ratchet, he's dedicated himself to creating the musical space he needs to express himself to the fullest. On his eighth album, he addresses the trauma he's experienced as a non-binary person of color living with bipolar disorder more directly than ever before. Self-released by Shamir -- another sign of his need for musical freedom -- Heterosexuality trades some of his previous album's '90s punk and grunge influences for subversively eclectic pop produced with the help of Strange Ranger member Hollow Comet. Shamir sounds equally at home on "Gay Agenda," where his need to be "livin' free" is backed by massive, distorted beats and synths reminiscent of Arca or serpentwithfeet, as he did on his country-tinged album Be the Yee, Here Comes the Haw. On each of Heterosexuality's tracks, he defies being easily categorized by the issues outlined on the big-picture song titles, bringing different colors to his unrepentant honesty. His need to live outside of boxes and labels is particularly poignant when he sings "I don't know how to make you comfortable" over "Cisgender"'s densely beautiful shoegaze. On the standout "Abomination," he reclaims some of Ratchet's cheeky wordplay and rapping, spitting "burn it all down/and release the kraken" over a seething industrial backdrop. He's too happily independent to give himself completely to someone else on "Marriage"'s strutting R&B, while "Cold Brew"'s crystalline alt-pop reflects his emotional clarity. Heterosexuality's quick-shifting moods and sounds keep the album refreshingly unpredictable, veering from "Father"'s hushed confessions to "Nuclear," a breezy 21st century update on Burt Bacharach's loungy pop. While its seeming contradictions make it a slightly more challenging listen than Shamir was, Heterosexuality acknowledges how complicated just existing can be with the wit, creativity, and unguarded emotions that have been a vital part of Shamir's music since the beginning.
© Heather Phares /TiVo