Among the few highlights from Kanye West’s 2018 album, ye, were two features from emerging New Jersey artist Danielle Balbuena – known by the moniker 070 Shake. Most notably, the bilingual singer-rapper’s guest verse on Ghost Town swam with a heady feeling of darkness and freedom – something that carries through to Modus Vivendi, Balbuena’s debut album. It’s a record that blends genres with assurance as 070 Shake interrogates her nihilistic internal monologues. “I don’t know if I’ll be here tomorrow,” she refrains, catchily, on the propulsive Morrow, before the beat dissolves into new age multi-harmony vocals that, surreally, recall Enya.
That tender glimmer of fantasy recurs throughout the album, not least as Balbuena considers drug use in a liberating, matter-of-fact way, playing with the classic associations of drugs with mental health and romance (on Microdosing, she could be singing about any of these). There’s a sheen of yearning throughout as she spins between bright, light and very dark, be that via the synthpop glaze on Guilty Conscience or the beguiling Bollywood sample on Come Around. Though at times songs and sentiments blur a little forgettably, this is an impressive statement of intent.
