8/10

Throughout the last decade of her tenure, Nadine Shah has always been one to explore a more varied approach to her sound and songwriting. Regularly adopting a multitude of diverse and innovative ideas to create a catalogue of brilliantly adventurous outings has been her calling card for quite some time, culminating in the riveting release 'Kitchen Sink' in 2020. Now returning after an extended absence from new music, she delivers her hotly-tipped fifth studio album 'Filthy Underneath', a record that continues to develop those vibrant textures once again.

From the off, 'Filthy Underneath' sees Shah in a revived and renewed spirit. Creating these beautifully endearing soundscapes that sweep and swoon around her distinctive vocal style remains the hallmark of this new offering once again. But while much of her earlier work hones in on a more ethereal and atmospheric nature, this new collection has a truly bombastic feel, as if she is breaking out of her formative shell in pursuit of something far more euphoric and captivating.

Regardless of where this sits within her musical evolution to date, 'Filthy Underneath' sees her return to the scene with one of her most confident efforts yet. Brimming with this bright and soaring aesthetic throughout, she continues to shine as one of the UK's more interesting outputs.