Santigold is closing in on the release of her comeback album Spirituals. Ahead of its September 9th release, the indie veteran has shared another preview of what’s to come today with the single “Shake,” produced by SBTRKT.
At just under two minutes, “Shake” doesn’t let its brevity prevent it from packing a punch. SBTRKT bolsters the song with a puttering, slightly off-kilter beat that feels a little reminiscent of Radiohead’s “Kid A,” as Santigold sings a message of perseverence over an ascending synth loop: “I won’t buckle under pressure/ Imma be alright/ I will never follow/ If I know the way/ But if you got my back/ I got you, set your worry free.”
“‘Shake’ is one of those songs…that basically write themselves, and all you have to do as the artist is be open enough to reach out and pull it in and say thank you,” Santigold shares in a press release. “I can’t say this song is about one thing, as much as it’s about a feeling. It’s about flow, about riding the ebb and flows of life, it’s about rolling with it, moving through it, letting it all move through you. And it’s about the feeling in that moment when you feel life flowing through you, the rapture of it all. It’s about our resilience as humans, and our ability to keep rising back up in the face of hardship and moving forward.”
Like the music itself, the Frank Ockenfels-directed video for “Shake” is simple yet powerful. It begins with Santigold alone, swaying side to side with a tambourine like she’s leading a gospel choir. But before long, her innocuous singing and dancing is disrupted by a forceful water hose. “This video is an homage to [civil rights protesters], in which I try to power through singing this song while enduring the pain of a high-pressure water hose,” Santigold adds. “The strength and fortitude that it took for them, many just teenagers and young adults, to endure what they did and keep going, is monumental.” Listen to “Shake” below.
“Shake” follows Santigold’s previous Spirituals singles “Nothing,” “Ain’t Ready,” and “High Priestess.” The album will feature collaborations with Rostam, Boys Noize, SBTRKT, and more, and Santigold will support its release later this year on “The Holified Tour,” with support from South African rapper-singer Sho Madjozi. Get your tickets over at Ticketmaster.