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9.0
88471
9.0 |
The Line Of Best Fit
As with the best pop albums, it sounds like a greatest hits record. The songs flow into each other seamlessly as well as standing on their two own feet, which is an astonishing achievement
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9.0
88545
9.0 |
musicOMH
The sound might be ’80s, but this is undeniably now, and Shura a new star in 2016’s increasingly bible-black night
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9.0
88688
9.0 |
God Is In The TV
The whole record blends together seamlessly with nothing but refined songwriting and outstanding production
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8.0
88695
8.0 |
Clash
Was ‘Nothing’s Real’ worth the wait? Absolutely
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8.0
88739
8.0 |
The Quietus
A debut that goes above and beyond what is normally expected of a Synth Pop record – namely, a few hit singles with a few faltering experimentations thrown in
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8.0
88863
8.0 |
Spectrum Culture
Shura has established herself as one of the brightest, freshest voices in synth pop today
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8.0
88876
8.0 |
All Music
As ephemeral and powerful as a crush, Nothing's Real marks Shura as the kind of smart pop star the 2010s need
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8.0
88467
8.0 |
DIY
It’s a statement packed with masses of future potential, and that’s all you can really ask for from a debut record
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8.0
88468
8.0 |
The Skinny
Like most teenage neuroses, scratch beyond the surface and you’ll find there’s much more going on than first seems apparent
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8.0
88505
8.0 |
The Guardian
Her more uptempo moments are especially promising; melodies so satisfying she should consider handing them to a major-league artist in need of a reboot
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8.0
88512
8.0 |
The Irish Times
There’s no doubt whatsoever that Shura knows her way in and around pop music
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8.0
88517
8.0 |
The FT
Glossy textures and smooth high vocals, aching with either desire or sadness, give these well-worn and even cheesy references a dreamy kind of sophistication, the opposite of a cheap clock
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8.0
88531
8.0 |
The Observer
Peppered throughout with snippets of audio from old home videos, Nothing’s Real feels like a properly curated album, and one of the year’s best
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8.0
88538
8.0 |
Evening Standard
Shura’s emerged fully formed on an inventive debut of smart electronic pop
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8.0
88623
8.0 |
NME
Vitality and personality – precious commodities in pop, but ones Shura appears to have in spades
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8.0
89807
8.0 |
PopMatters
Shura's thoughtful and emotionally resonant debut is as appreciative of the past as it is cognizant of its place in the present
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7.7
88641
7.7 |
Pitchfork
Nothing’s Real offers a fresh vision for pop’s new reality
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7.5
88608
7.5 |
Consequence Of Sound
Though the results aren’t always revelatory, she herself remains hugely engaging
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7.0
88958
7.0 |
Rolling Stone
A tangle of glam and glum
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7.0
88469
7.0 |
Exclaim
A neon sugar rush that occasionally fizzles out with filler tracks, Nothing's Real ultimately leaves a lasting impression
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7.0
88470
7.0 |
Loud And Quiet
A few tracks feel overlong – ’White Light’ drags itself out necessarily to over seven minutes – but that hardly spoils this rich, elegant and intimate debut
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6.0
89195
6.0 |
NOW
On closers White Light and The Space Tapes, Shura breaks apart the crying-on-the-dance-floor formula with downbeat, surreal and ambient tones that are more impressionistic, evoking the dizzying emotions at the album's core.
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6.0
88472
6.0 |
Q
Was it worth the wait? At points, yes. Print edition only
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