Singer song-writer Shakka has dropped a mix-tape, named ‘Cabin Fever‘. The three track project, released on Sunday, was inspired by the artist’s lock-down boredom.
The three tracks are named ‘Staying at Home‘, ‘Tryna Look Good‘ and ‘Everyday Feels the Same‘, which immediately reflect the standard experience for everyone in lock-down over the last few months. This is Shakka’s intention; he described the work as, on his Instagram, a ‘batch of quarantine diary freestyles‘. The unsubtle references do not end there for the artist, the mix-tape’s cover is a drawing of a dejected Shakka next to a bottle of Corona beer. The hook of the project’s first tune emphasises Shakka’s state of mind, repeating over and over ‘staying at home is long fam‘. The beat is unlike the lively bop’s that propelled the performer into the public consciousness, but it displays his full vocal range. The track is given a lively lift through a remix by Donae’O, which is included at the end of the project.
‘Tryna Look Good‘ documents the struggles of impressing a love interest on Face Time, despite not having a hair cut or shave in a good while. He uses the tune to lament that he has not ‘had a fade in like 40 days‘, a reference that may well be outdated following the further lift of restrictions on the 4th of July. ‘Everyday Feels The Same‘, the projects final song, is the most upbeat of Shakka’s new tracks. The three freestyles are all under three minutes, with the final two both wrapped up in under a minute and twenty seconds each, which gives the project an impromptu feel.
‘Cabin Fever‘ is a project born in the swathes of free time that most have experienced during lock down. It therefore reflects a style of mix-tape that may become popular between artists in the near future. It is thrifty, and seems as though it has been composed and produced at Shakka’s home. The life of musicians have been greatly altered in the last few months, and studio time at a premium. It displays creativity to produce a body of work with the limited tools available. ‘Cabin Fever’ demonstrates Shakka’s willingness to adapt musically to the current situation, despite his displeasure at adjusting socially. It may not have resulted in his most iconic work, but Shakka’s ‘Cabin Fever’ may just provide a blue-print for other, Corona-affected, aspiring artists to follow.
