On All or Nothing, Shopping Elevate Their Bouncy Post-Punk Sound with More Synths and Less Guitar
The U.K. trio return with their most articulate record to date
Post-punk trio Shopping have long been heralded as queer icons of the London DIY scene—but things change. For one, Shopping no longer consider London as their home base: Guitarist Rachel Aggs and drummer Andrew Milk have relocated to Glasgow, while bassist Billy Easter is currently living in L.A. The trio is also shaking off their pared-down sound, instead choosing to embrace the possibilities of synths, beats and a polished studio feel. The band is, obviously, still emblematic of queer artistic expression, but just maybe not in the way you were so sure that they were.
On All or Nothing, Shopping’s fourth album since their inception in 2012, they deliver some of their most articulate, exciting songs as a group, while also eschewing some of the formulaic components of their music that made them so interesting in the first place. They teased the electronic-leaning sound of the album with singles “Initiative” and “For Your Pleasure,” but while many bands lose their edge when they adopt a smoother, synthier aesthetic, Shopping still remain punk in a restless and frenetic way—even when the guitars are put down.
Shopping isn’t trying to become more commercial or appealing on a wider scale, but they undertook this sonic shift because, as a band that has long been heralded for its dance-y vibe, the incorporation of electronic elements seems to be a natural progression in order to make the most well-rounded version of what their music conveys.
Take single “For Your Pleasure.” There is no guitar on the track, but its absence is hardly jarring: They’ve more than made up for it with a juicy bass riff and clever, almost-spoken lyrics. It’s evocative of post-punk influences such as Gang of Four or Au Pairs, with the added bonus of simple yet riveting beats à la LCD Soundsystem or Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Even without their distinctive quasi-surf rock guitar strung throughout the album, All or Nothing hardly feels declawed. Another guitarless track, “Lies,” seems to be actively professing that the band’s new direction is actually indicative of them feeling empowered, with lyrics asserting: “Reinvention / Dispossession / As a weapon.”