Shura – Forevher review

by Joseph Purcell

In the three years since her debut breakout, Nothing’s Real, Shura has used her personal experiences of a long-distance relationship to develop a thrilling, gleaming pop gem of a record. Honing razor-sharp beats into a flowing album of pop vignettes, these songs are ready for packed venues on her end of year tour.

Blissful lead single BKLYNLDN sets the template for a gorgeous traverse of joyful pop throughout forevher. Capturing a snapshot of romantic giddiness, it’s a tale of burning transatlantic love from Brookyln to London and the difficulties of separation. From the fragility of piano-laden opener, that’s me, just a sweet melody, to the dreamy side effects and vocal contortion of princess leia, Shura has brought together a gorgeous record at exactly the right time of year. A warmth emits her work, encapsulating a romantic narrative and marking out the true sound of those hazy summer nights. Centrepiece and electro funk delight, Religion (you can lay your hands on me) is enveloped with a seductive vocal, akin to Christine and the Queens – it’s a track packed with brimming beats and oozing sensuality, with a melody that burrows and remains long after it has finished.

Each track feels like an immaculate journey through Shura’s heartfelt vision, enmeshing a cool blend of romanticism and seduction, littered to a backdrop of gorgeous synths and snaps of sax. While it could be suggested that the highlights of forevher are front loaded, it would be remiss to exclude the later tracks as simply filler, despite them not quite hitting the heights of the earlier parts of the album. Nonetheless, Shura has delivered an impressive sophomore release that sits comfortably amongst her peers in a burgeoning genre, capturing the unsophisticated abandon of love’s early months.

Secret Meeting score: 77

 

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