daine - Shapeless

‘Shapeless’, thesecond mixtape from daine, is an irresistible glimpse into their checkerboard of influences - blending hyper-pop, emo and glitchy electronics with seemingly effortless dexterity. The title track rumbles with eerie kick drums as the artist rapidly transforms into an amorphous being: “Lips fake, eyes fake, teeth fake, facelift / I got it all, now I’m shapeless,” they muse over skittish beats. ‘Portal’ shudders with rolling drum patterns and propulsive drum and bass beats as they settle into their skin: “Got my face up on these posters / Think and feel like a brand new person, that I don’t know.” While the majority of this release was written when daine was just 16, it’s here they shed their teenage torment and turn their head firmly towards the future: “It’s better than I’ve ever felt before.” The project is outwardly pop - whether through ‘Skin Deep’’s buoyant, bubblegum melodies or the introspective dancehall of Palmistry’s production on ‘Shapeless’ - and it’s these polished moments give way to the mixtape’s darker moments. ‘Writhe’ comes awash with blistering guitar licks, its splintered exterior leading to a moment of euphoric catharsis. The maximalist production on show is boundless, and in turn, is a celebration of daine’s spiritual transformation.