Ahead of the upcoming Berlin Mixtape, Irish electro-pop singer Æ Mak is out with the first single, “Shimmer Boy.” Released through her own label, Spacer Records, the song is an EDM-inspired vision of Aoife McCann’s creation that still stakes its claim in the sand amid other musicians experimenting with hyper-pop sounds. Since 2017, McCann has been releasing music independently and of her accord, making a silent statement about how much in control she is of the music and art she puts out. Never coming off as despondent or intensely head over heels, “Shimmer Boy” is a wonderful hodgepodge of electronic fusions and fissures working like one giant cog.
One of the immediate ear-grabbing traits of McCann’s music is the production style, which resembles something that could have worked on Lorde’s Melodrama if it had an edge and penchant for further electronic exploration. Far out from where the track will eventually settle is an ominous horn at the start, sounding as if it were calling from a harbor. The scatterbrain glitch noises soon deboss over the oscillating bass, making room for McCann.
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Her accented voice seeps through the metallic and ear-piercing sounds with ease while using her vocals as backing chimes or sirens, depending on whether the song calls for anxiety or equanimity. The bass chooses the latter later on, acting more like a machine gun firing off at the same rate as the electronic pulses that echo at the beat of a heartbeat.
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Unlike the song’s complexity, the music video opts to capture the candid emotions expressed on the track. It shows multiple scenes of McCann out about alongside flashes of two lips hungrily making out, complementing the piano outro that touches on a serene and sensual side not previously marked by the electronic production. That should show how McCann’s tracks will keep you guessing. They can go left or right and up or down at any moment, giving leeway for the singer to go in directions not expected by anybody.
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Words: David Sosa
“Shimmer Boy” by Æ Mak is out on all streaming services. For more on Berlin Mixtape and potential live shows, visit her Instagram.
