The shape of things to come

The shape of things to come

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The shape of things to come

Argentine-born songstress Valerie Teicher expands her sonic palette even further with gorgeous sophomore EP 'Verde'

Tei Shi/ Verde EP

Operating under the moniker Tei Shi, Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter and producer Valerie Teicher introduced herself to the world with her 2013 debut EP Suadade. The six-track EP was a collection of well-crafted pop ditties that fused R&B's smooth, languid flow with subtle electronic beats — something closely akin to the avant-garde R&B sounds of SZA, Doja Cat, Phlo Finister and FKA twigs. What also sets Teicher apart from her contemporaries was her beguilingly sugar-coated voice that seemed to glide in and out of high notes like it’s nothing at all (check out her lush cover of Beyonce’s No Angel for further proof).

Here, Teicher returns with the Suadade follow-up, Verde. Made up of a mere five songs, the sophomore EP finds her pushing beyond her vocals-centric debut while the emphasis is being put more on the production side of things. Opener Can’t Be Sure illustrates this point perfectly with her swirling layered vocals hovering over the vast expanse of minimalist bass instrumental. The blend of these very two elements is to emerge as a recurring theme of Verde as the second track, Bassically, rolls around. “Baby, I’ll behave if you let me stay/Please don’t say that I’m begging you for love,” she whispers early on in the track accompanied by the Italo disco-inspired synth ripple frequently employed by producer-du-jour Johnny Jewel (Glass Candy, Chromatics). The song’s highlight, however, lies in its wordless chorus where her multi-tracked wailing dominates and at times almost drowns out everything else. See Me, on the other hand, sees the singer resort back to intelligible words, contemplating the possibility of being seen by her crush. There’s that skeletal bassline à la the xx that loops in and out of the track which provides the whole thing with a nice indie edge. While pop-oriented Go Slow is the most accessible track on the EP, R&B-soul closer Get It is perhaps the most complex. Underpinned by a simple electric piano, Get It is uniquely woven together with harmonised layered vocals, the trick that goes to underscore Teicher’s singing ability. The song also finds her at her sultriest, coyly whispering and cooing her way through its three-minute duration with a first-class flair.

Throughout Verde, Teicher demonstrates that she has matured both as a singer and songwriter. Far more diverse in sound than her first output, this EP stands proud as her strongest body of work to date. The production, however minimalistic it gets, never fails to intrigue with its every nuance and layered melody. On top of everything else, there’s this one-of-a-kind voice that doesn’t come around too often in the genre-pushing landscape, and she seems to have harnessed its full potential with aplomb and complete control. We can’t wait to see what else she has in store for us. n

THE PLAYLIST

Gene Kasidit/ Mai Wa Mua Rai (Eternity)

The soundtrack to MR Chalermchatri Yukol’s upcoming period horror movie Pee Ha Ayothaya (The Black Death) gets an unlikely contribution from electro-pop diva Gene Kasidit called Mai Wa Mua Rai (Eternity). Eternity is a synth-driven mid-tempo ditty about an everlasting love that wouldn’t sound too out of place on Gene’s own record, 2014’s Blonde. We’re interested to see where and how the song fits in with the movie.

Mariah Carey/ Infinity

If anyone could casually roll out a third compilation album, it would have to be none other than Mariah Carey, the best-selling female artist of all time. Here, the Elusive Chanteuse serves up Infinity, lead single (and the only new material) off her collection of 18 number-one singles, #1 to Infinity. Musically, the song is an old-school R&B ballad that showcases MC’s inimitable flow as a skilled songwriter. “Close the door, lose the key/Leave my heart on the mat for me/I was yours eternally/There’s an end to infinity, to infinity, to infinity,” she croons before breaking into the prolonged high notes as if to quell the rumours about her faltering voice.

Shamir/ Darker

Las Vegas native Shamir has taken a hard left turn with his latest offering, Darker, following fun-packed jams like On the Regular and Call It Off. Lifted from his forthcoming debut on XL Records, the song is a slow-burning ballad built around a minimalistic, dirge-like organ. “Because it doesn’t get darker/Unless you expected to/It’s just getting harder to contain the truth,” he revels in a quiet contemplation during the chorus while simultaneously showing an incredible control over his sweetly androgynous voice. Darker is tangible proof that the up-and-coming young artist is capable of delivering the kind of versatility that will make him stand out from his throng of peers.

Oddisee / That’s Love

Brooklyn-based rapper Oddisee discusses the many facades of love on That’s Love, the lead single from his brand new album, The Good Fight. “When you told me the truth, even if it really hurt/’Cause you knew a lie was worst (That’s love)/When you let me borrow money, that you didn’t really have/’Cause you knew what I was worth (That’s love),” goes the effable opening verse. The rest of the song is equally impressive and packed to the brim with fun buoyancy, thanks to the glorious backing of live horns that permeates the whole thing.

Braids / Taste

Following stunning lead single Miniskirt, Montreal trio Braids drops another pop gem called Taste. The five-minute track offers a glimpse into the kind of stay-or-go relationship most of us can relate to at one point or another. “Take me by the hand/Will you guide me through this phase/Of not really knowing where I am/Or knowing who I am,” implores frontwoman Raphaelle Standell-Preston. She then goes on to sing: “We experience the love that we think we deserve/And I guess I thought I didn’t need much from this world/So I left you,” before admitting that, “But you’re exactly what I like I will give you my whole life.” n

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