Scissor Sisters could not have picked a better day to unleash new music. While most of North America is still enjoying a nice day off and much of Europe has quietly gone back to work but is still experiencing that New Year Eve's after glow, the group unveiled a brand-new track on British radio this morning to start the year out right and have the first major pop premiere of 2012.
Deeply rooted in the progressive New York art and club scene, Scissor Sisters have always had their finger firmly on the pulse on what's hip and happening. This has helped shape their unique brand of what I like to call fringe pop. It's a sound that is always interesting, genuinely cool and deliciously filthy.
The new "Shady Love" is all of those things plus more. After he remixed the group's "Invisible Light," Jake Shears, Babydaddy, Del Marquis and Ana Matronic teamed up with rising Berlin DJ/producer Boys Noize (Alexander Ridha) to work on this new tune. Ridha helped the group evolve from the sweaty disco sleaze of 2010's "Night Work" to a throbbing new club sound that is slowly but surely making its way into the mainstream.
Set to an instantly catchy, thumbing club groove, "Shady Love" features lead man Jake Shears rapping and rhyming, letting it all hang out with his debaucherous tale about "nip slips," "dancing to Madonna," "getting loose" and doing the "voodoo," which pretty much seems like a regular night out on the town Scissor-style.
Shears' punchy delivery is followed by an Afrojack-styled climax that leads to a blazing chorus that includes the soulful vocals of Azealia Banks who co-wrote "Shady Love." Banks is the LaGuardia High Shool of Performing Arts graduate who has been stirring up a storm across the burroughs of New York City with her bareknuckle and brassy blend of hip pop.
One of the highlights of "Shady Love" hits around the 2:50 minute marks when a phenomenal instrumental break drops and gives listeners a brief break from the heat Scissor Sisters delivers.
"Shady Love" shows fans once again that Scissor Sisters is not afraid to think outside of the box, lean forward and keep fans on the edge of their seats with their music. Great and innovative pop music comes with risk, and Scissor Sisters have the balls to embrace that.