SHEARS - 'Blurry'

Scotland’s musical wizard SHEARS returned last week with new track ‘Blurry’, the first taste of new solo music since my EP of the year last year, ‘Mind in Decline’ which landed last October.

 I think what I love most about Edinburgh-based SHEARS is that I listen to her music so often that whenever a new track rolls around, I can still sit down at 10 o’clock at night after a gig and breeze through the review because I’ve got her songs in my head most days so I don’t have to frantically go through the archive to refamiliarize myself with her impressive back catalogue. 

I’m hopeful that any imposter syndrome or doubt in her ability behind the scenes which brought about this track must surely now be extinguished as ‘Blurry’ is another self-produced work of art. For any artist, self-reflection and doubt can be an unwelcome monster that creeps up on you. Often, the only way to keep it out is to keep creating and not let it eat away at you. Given the pace the singles are hurtling off the production line, from the outside looking in, there’s no sign of any doubt and the songs and production are continuing to scale new heights with each release.  

There feels like a bit more breathing space on this track compared to, say, ‘Face’ from the last EP which was relentless energy from the off.  An infectious and in my case valid question “Are you out of your mind?” looping echo vocal welcomes you into the song and plays out sporadically throughout across a plethora of different terrains as the main vocal arrives and later the recognisable electropop instrumentals join the party. Perhaps the biggest compliment I can pay this track is it’s now 11 o’clock at night and I’ve had this on solidly for an hour while I try to unscramble my words and I’ll probably still be playing it on loop long after I’ve cannoned this review into the sky. 

‘Blurry’ is the first look at an as yet untitled upcoming EP which is due out later in the year. 

Words by Richard Cobb

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