Album Review: Eliza Shaddad - 'Future'

After much anticipation and what seems like a never-ending wait, Eliza Shaddad’s debut album is finally here. In a nutshell, ‘Future’ is a deeply personal insight into the what it is like to deal with regret and how to navigate an escape from a stagnant romance and not least from the confines of your own mind. 

‘Future’ is a clear example of why I thoroughly enjoy listening to albums from start to finish. When the songs flow together seamlessly, there is story that unfolds in a way that can sometimes be undetectable when you are only listening to a few songs here and there. Eliza Shaddad knows how to strike a chord in her listeners, creating a moody atmosphere in which you feel like you can personally relate to the topics of conversation. The first half of the album is mostly atmospheric and indie, with the singles ‘White Lines’, ‘This Is My Cue’ and ‘My Body’ making their appearance. The latter song features a beautiful dissonant guitar solo which accentuates the intensity of the subject of feeling betrayed by yourself.

At times it is hard to decipher whether Shaddad is talking to herself or whether her musings are directed at a specific person. With lyrics that are impactfully personal, she maintains a certain distance without ever straying too far, to lose you. The dream-like ‘Are You There’ drifts along almost unnoticeably until that intense guitar sneaks up on you, to pull you back in and ‘Slow Down’ takes you on a journey of self-discovery wrapped up in a delightfully languid 70’s track, where you can almost hear a smile dancing around Shaddad’s breathy voice in the sweetest moment where she sings in harmony to a guitar riff.

If I had to choose a highlight on the album, it would have to be ‘Your Core’, which is quite difficult to define. It starts off with an industrial jazzy bassline and ticking chime sound that allows Shaddad’s velvet tones whirl around you before giving way to a slightly thrashy guitar riff that spirals in and out of mimicking the jazzy bassline and creating a screeching white noise ending. ‘The Conclusion’ and ‘To Make It Up To You’ slow down the pace from being a mid-paced contemplation to how to deal with accepting that something is over, despite not knowing how to say the words, to a slower sad song about not being able to understand how to make things better.

‘Future’ is a refreshingly honest and relatable insight into the mind of Eliza Shaddad, who has firmly secured herself as one to look out for, when you’re in need of some true heartfelt music. Eliza Shaddad will be performing in the upcoming months, in support of ‘Future’.

Words by Tyler Damara Kelly