Shamir – Heterosexuality
Shamir's new album Heterosexuality is a record of liberation and rage; a cathartic release following years of volatility and instability
Having released an album almost every year – and sometimes two in a year – since his debut full-length Ratchet, released in 2015, Shamir’s career could be described as nothing short of prolific but it has also been fairly turbulent. After parting ways with his label following the release of Ratchet and then his management team after the release of its follow-up Hope, Shamir has self-released every album since, bar one. But 2020’s self-titled release felt like a real turning point in Shamir’s career, and his latest, Heterosexuality, feels like a continuation of those themes.
On Gay Agenda and Cisgender he addresses endless questions throughout his career over his sexuality and gender, with an outright refusal to define himself. 'I'm not cisgender, I'm not binary, trans / I don't wanna be a girl, I don't wanna be a man / I'm just existing on this God-forsaken land', he sings on Cisgender, his signature falsetto soaring. Heterosexuality is an album of liberation and rage; a cathartic release following years of volatility and instability. It feels like the most important record of his career, as he works through his internal and external conflicts to, ultimately, find peace.
Listen to: Cisgender, Stability