Especially prolific, Matthew Herbert drops his first album as Herbert since 2006.
The Herbert moniker usually signals bouncy house beats crafted into angular and somewhat self-conscious modern electronic pop. The Shakes sees Herbert continuing to move in this trajectory, building from the sombre war-weary Battle to eventually hitting more joyful notes when he moves into jaunty jazz and swing tangents on cuts like Strong. Male and female vocalists bounce off each other, soulfully dropping lyrics loaded with emotion and political agendas. Leaving the experimental soundscapes behind for a while The Shakes catches Herbert in a distinctly accessible mood.
