Shy Girl

UK vocalist Hollie Cook’s seventh album since her 2011 solo debut (following several years fronting The Slits) is a collection of her self-christened tropical pop, an updated contemporary take on what’s widely considered the first distinct Black British genre, Lovers Rock. The tracks are made of the classic reggae sound palette: choppy, simmering organ chords, clarion-call horn lines, squiggly, supple lead guitar licks, spacious, essential bass lines and that distinctly-reggae ultra-dry, up-close drum sound. The songs are all characterised by sweet soul chord changes, and lilting, light, but often heart-wrenching vocal melodies from Cook, with the various tempos, styles and rhythms of reggae and dub re-worked into a highly listenable, bittersweet yet heavy-duty album. Cook’s clear, crystalline, high register vocal delivery is classic Lovers Rock, as are the soul-style poignant melodies, and the backing vocals, despite the occasional addition of dub reverb and delay, are more Motown than Trojan, further sweetening tunes that constantly flit between romance and melancholy. It’s got twelve songs, it’s just under forty minutes, and is a small but perfectly formed album.