6/10

Since the release of his breakthrough debut album 'Ratchet' in 2015, a lot has changed for Shamir. After being dropped from his label due to a lack of commercial interest from that release, he quickly restarted his career as an independent artist, who has since gone onto have one of the most prolific releasing streaks we have seen in recent years. After making a comeback with 'Hope', his first of two studio albums in 2017, he has gone onto unveil record after record and now delivers his seventh to date, a self-titled effort that feels more reflective of who he has become over the years.

Those looking to compare the work of Shamir since his origins will be mildly surprised at what this new collection consists of. After making a name for himself amongst the many various guises within the electronic world, he has taken this new full-length path down a path of fuzzy guitars and indie-rock sensibilities, giving us a whole new vision of him in the process. While we obviously have to commend him on his bravery on this new release, there are moments that make us feel that his brilliant falsetto vocals occasionally jar with this new direction, making for an album that usually only works about half of the time.

Saying that, there are still plenty of bold and impressive moments on 'Shamir', most notably on 'Running', which feels like one of his most progressive works to date. Shamir may still be in midst of deciding what kind of artist he sees himself as, but he still looks to make the journey as fun and enjoyable for the listener as possible.