Nearly one year ago Shelf Lives shook up our mundane existence by dropping a trash-pop beat on social isolation via “Mark Twain.” Now the South London electro-punk duo are back with more scuzzed-out kinetic action, this time fixing their adrenalized gaze toward societal female stereotypes on a powderkeg-pop thumper called “Skirts & Salads.”
The track, based on a porn sample and co-produced by Shelf Lives’ frequent collaborator SPACE (IDLES, Do Nothing), has electrified boring playlists and shown its face across an accompanying music video directed by Ben Pollard. Hear it below, watch it below, embrace its intent below. Because Shelf Lives — Toronto-born Sabrina and Northampton guitarist/producer Jonny — have much to say, and we’re feeling how they say it.
“‘Skirts & Salads’ is inspired by general female stereotypes, we’ve kept it pretty obvious with the lyrics,” says Sabrina. “It’s written and delivered in a tongue-in-cheek manner and we thought it would be interesting incorporating chauvinistic language but using it to our advantage in a way; referring specifically to the line ‘I like / Want my girls like that’. Without really realizing it we are highlighting how annoying it is, as well as how deeply rooted these ideas and language are in our society and… sub-consciousness.”
Click, click, boom.
***