Look, I swear I’m not doing this on purpose. This is the second time that I am writing a review about the same artist and it hasn’t even been a year. What can I say? Penomeco caught my ear this week with “Shy (eh o)”. Let’s take a listen!
This song is chill but still makes you want to dance.
When I first heard the beat in “Shy (eh o)”, my immediate thought was: “Is this bossa nova?” If you’ve read my “Alcohol-Free” review, you know how much I love bossa nova. However, a quick look in the comments section told me that I was mistaken. The song actually uses afrobeat, a combination of complex percussion beats and jazz instruments. For people like myself who are unfamiliar with this genre, it’s easy to be confused.
The song starts with percussion and electric piano, then adds a bit of tambourine once the chorus hits. Eventually, the energy of the song goes up by adding some brass into the mix. Brass instruments are another weakness of mine, so this was ending up on my playlist without a doubt.
Penomeco makes several languages sound like one.
Another thing that surprised me when I first listened to “Shy (eh o)” is the use of Igbo and Yoruba, languages spoken in Nigeria. To this day, it amazes me how well languages sound together even if they are nothing like each other. My reaction to this song takes me back to when I first heard “Lo Siento” by Super Junior and Leslie Grace. It was satisfying to hear how well Spanish and Korean sounded together. In Penomeco’s song, he seamlessly blends the Korean language with Igbo and Yoruba (as well as English, but what kpop songs don’t contain English these days?). I’m curious what other language combinations are out there waiting to be put in a song.
Honourable Mentions: Brave Girls – After We Ride, Youha – Ice T, Loco ft. George – Just Like This (Youha is dominating my 2021 playlist!)
If you like this song, check out: Super Junior ft. Leslie Grace – Lo Siento (2018), MAMAMOO – gogobebe (2019), Kim Nam Joo – Bird (2020)
Honestly, I don’t why Penomeco named this song “Shy (eh o)”. He doesn’t look shy to me. What do you think of this release? Let me know in the comments!