Less than a week into The Quarantine, it seems like the consensus is: Release that shit. We’re already extremely stir crazy and anxious to devour as much new content as possible—why deprive us of that pleasure? Meanwhile, it seems like artists are adopting this mindset as a means of staying afloat, sharing unreleased demos and finished recordings to compensate for cancelled tours.
Shamir Bailey went a step beyond today by surprising us with a full LP of new material. Following his contribution to the Bernie-benefitting comp Bernie Speaks with the Community back in January, Shamir is giving us nine new tracks, together titled Cataclysm, which continues the songwriter’s growth from his funked-out synth-pop origins to an indistinguishable blend of lo-fi pop and grunge subgenres.
“The difficult part of possessing the spirit of the butterfly is death,” the artist shares cryptically on the record’s Bandcamp page. “The lifespan of the butterfly is inherently evanescent, but the human shell is much more substantial. Constant regeneration of the soul is incredibly painful, but transformation is equally beautiful. I’ve always wanted to soundtrack the end because I’ve seen it so many times.”
You can stream the whole album below, or purchase it on Bandcamp. Remember—if you wait until Friday, Shamir will receive 100 percent of the $8 (or more) you pay for it.
