SHIMA has been on an impressive streak of releases lately, but if I had to pick a standout, her electrifying new track "AWA" takes the top spot for me.
This is the 4th single off her debut album that's coming out this summer, and was actually inspired by a traditional Japanese dance festival called “Awa Odori”. On "AWA", she leans towards UKG as the rhythmic foundation and adorns the melodic section with a wide array of lush textures. I loved the pleasantly eerie vocals floating in the foreground, especially towards the second half when they act as a riser that crashes into the epic climax. The drums are hard, the mood is fierce and dreamy, plus the track's theme is steeped in a tradition - there is so much to love about "AWA".
"Last summer, I went to a traditional Japanese dance festival called “Awa Odori” that happens every year in my neighborhood in Tokyo, with the goal of capturing some soundscapes that I could then sample and make a song out of. A few days later, AWA was born, inspired by the centuries old Japanese folk culture to honor and celebrate the dead."
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