Shades Lawrence - The Return
PREMIERE | SHADES LAWRENCE DROPS DOPE BANGER – ‘THE RETURN’
Shades Lawrence premieres “The Return” on Rawckus. “The Return” is the first single from Lawrence’s forthcoming EP, East West Story, slated to drop in December.
Shades Lawrence
The song narrates passing through emotional ups and downs, yet coming back stronger than ever and reconnecting with the muscle of hope.
Lawrence, a queer hip-hop artist and DJ of British, Jamaican, Irish, and Scottish descent, is a native of Montreal, where she grew up listening to Motown, funk, and disco. In high school, she delved into punk and ska, finally discovering her affinity for hip-hop. Later, while dipping into her Jamaican ancestry, she added elements of dancehall music to her unique sound.
Likened to Lauryn Hill, MC Lyte, and Jean Grae, Shades’ sound encompasses alternative hip-hop, electro, house, and Moombah, full of potent rhythms and lyrical ingenuity. She’s shared the stage with Big Freedia and Princess Nokia. Her previous EP, Second Life, was saluted by Bandcamp, appearing on the site’s New & Notable segment.
Lawrence’s rapping flow is tight and right, imbuing the lyrics with nuances of melodic modulation, as she serves up attention-grabbing rhymes and fluent wordplay.
Along with her musical endeavors, she is heavily involved in supporting platforms for female and non-binary artists, along with womxn of color, including advocating for mental health; launching Sister Singer, a showcase for women and non-binary artists; and Sister Spinner, which highlights black womxn DJs. She was invited to curate one night of the 2019 Lux Magna Festival highlighting womxn and non-binary femmes of colour.
“The Return” opens on delicious teetering tottering synth tones, as if from a nightmarish nursery rhyme, flowing into a new school beefy trap pulse, riding a cavernously vibrating bassline and thumping kick-drum. Steady polished accents infuse the harmonics with a taut intensity.
Lawrence’s rapping flow is tight and right, imbuing the lyrics with nuances of melodic modulation, as she serves up attention-grabbing rhymes and fluent wordplay.
“And this my return / I’m not waiting my turn / Claim the place that I’ve earned / And this my return.”
“The Return” brings the heat: slow, low, and banging, full of a muscular captivating rhythm, intriguing lyrics, and the stellar flow of Shades Lawrence.
Follow Shades Lawrence Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify
