#gigi

Like everyone else, my first real exposure to skaiwater was the track ‘#miles’. I’d heard her music in the past, but hadn’t been listening closely beyond an occasional feature here or there. She’s since become a quick favourite of mine, though, and her sophomore album has had me hooked from start to finish. Having caught bits and pieces of the On the Radar performance on YouTube, I went back in watching all her music videos and looking forward to the album, especially after the killer singles ‘rain’ and ‘light!’. The album delivers on all assurances with a tonal range as broad as it is lyrical. Relationship problems can be found on almost every track on #gigi and, over bass-centric beats, skai’s vocals are the focal point, and the thing that really elevates this album above its genre peers. The deep bass lines, in particular on such tracks as ‘real feel’, which starts out quiet before exploding almost 30 seconds in with some heavy bass, communicated cleanly by an almost uttered vocal switch from skai that adds another level of surprise, grabbing my attention immediately. Every time I listen to this track, which is often, I’m immediately drawn in. #gigi is a solid sophomore effort from skaiwater, definitely one of my favourite albums, it is a testament to skai’s blend of lyrical storytelling and tremendous songwriting and production. Every track on this album adds to an overall narrative that is personal and loaded with insight and understanding that hurries along towards some measured cathartic release. Each amazing track is so personal and layered that attentiveness is necessary to keep up, as you might find yourself with two deep tracks that are fantastic in their own right. The more I listen, the more I’m drawn in, the more inspired I am by skai’s growth as an artist. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

SKAIWATER - #GIGI

RATING - 8.5/10

FAVORITE TRACKS - real feel, bleach, rain

GENRE - Alt, Indie, Hip-Hop, Cloud, Electronic, Trap