Aisha Badru’s identity is made crystal clear on her debut record

Aisha Badru

"Pendulum"

Release date: 27 April 2018

7/10

04 May 2018, 12:10 | Written by Pip Williams

(Albums)

(Aisha Badru)

Whilst a pendulum swings between two extremes, New York’s Aisha Badru cuts a steady, deliberate path on her so-named full-length debut. The extremes denoted by the record’s title are emotional, rather than sonic, as Badru explores both arcing highs and devastating lows with equally measured tenderness and elegance each time. “A major theme of every human’s experience is that we’re constantly swinging between good and bad,” she explains. “We can’t avoid it. By realising that the swings aren’t permanent, you begin to develop the ability to control how you feel about the unfortunate events that may arise in your life.”

Admirable self-control is adamant throughout the length of Pendulum, with Badru’s delicate vocal harnessed in the same whispering register as Daughter’s Elena Tonra. From captivating opener and lead single “Mind on Fire”’s meticulously structured harmonies to ambient, brass-tinged closer “Dreamer”, Badru’s uniquely crystalline voice holds the spotlight as the album’s most skilfully employed and delightfully versatile instrument.

The aforementioned “Mind on Fire” is absolutely a highlight of the record – as a single it has already passed 11 million streams on Spotify alone. Employing repetitive structures and expansive lyricism (“have you seen the girl with the heart as big as the sea?”), Badru sets a mood for the whole album from which there is little deviation. Whilst this lack of diversity may be the album’s only obvious setback, it gives crystalline clarity to Badru’s identity as an artist; something not to be sniffed at so early in a singer/songwriter’s career.

“Mind on Fire” was not the only taste of Pendulum we heard prior to its release, and spine-tingling current single “Fossil Fuels” (previously featured in our Pop Never Dies column) is as spine-tinglingly ethereal set into this tracklisting as it was standing alone. The onomatopoeia of opening line “you turn me on like a faucet, and you left me running, drip, drip” sits perfectly alongside the track’s minimal, trip-hop-inspired backing; Badru’s ability to build tension and atmosphere here seeming almost unrivalled.

Other tracks of note to be found on Pendulum include the vocoder-drenched “Bridges” – on which Badru’s voice cracks and aches with emotion – and the balletic strings of “Happy Pretending”. Whilst this album may not be an album of enormous breadth, its clarity and singularity of vision make it an impressive debut for a fast-rising musician.