Released in March of this year, “Shy at First” by Cootie Catcher is a nostalgic electronic twist on the indie pop formula. This delightful venture into indietronica is overflowing with earnestness. Starting from the name of the album alone, we are greeted with the idea of people figuring out how to be people. The album touches on unspoken things that bother us when trying to navigate our personal relationships and explores these themes with a joyful through line.
The album opens with the song “No Scope”, a colorful mix of samples. Children laugh, a crochet tutorial scolds you for not knowing how to do a slipknot, and someone tunes a radio in the background. Simple beats and twinkling synths surround the samples, wrapping the song together like a bow. This song makes for a great opener, especially for those of us who may have been expecting a more run-of-the-mill acoustic indie album.
The band Cootie Catcher hails from Toronto, Canada. It doesn’t have a strict lead singer, instead all of the members take turns singing. Sometimes one of them will take the lead on one song, and other times they will sing back and forth conversationally. The raw and unfiltered vocals mix together to make a hypnotic texture that pulls you into the stories of each song. When paired with the electronic music, these vocals create a unique feeling that adds a certain kind of innocence to the song.
One of my favorite songs from the album is “Friend of a Friend”, which outlines the simple yet touching scenario of having an acquaintance you’ve known for a long time but have never been able to turn into a ‘real’ friend.
“Orchestral the way you sung
My name like we’ve both known
Each other for 10 years
I blink my eyes where have you gone?
I thought that we could get along”
– “Friend of a Friend” by Cootie Catcher
This is just one example of the kind of thing discussed in this album. “Shy at First” tackles the awkward head on with heart, crafting stories that you can relate to whether you’re 13 or 30. I adored this album, and I definitely recommend it for indie and electronic fans alike. There is something here that everyone might enjoy.