A Slice Of Heaven In My Mind

Estelle Allen “Girlfriend 2”

A lot of Estelle Allen’s music is in the same aesthetic realm as 100 Gecs – twitchy, warped versions of trashy Y2K-era music with heavily processed vocals. But while the Gecs focus on a hyper, bugged-out energy, Allen has much more capacity for her version of smooth and chill sounds from the same era. “Girlfriend 2” seems to be aiming for a D’Angelo/Dilla vibe with the groove, and the vocal melody wouldn’t be out of place on the first Justin Timberlake record. It’s fun to hear that sort of music with a messy, awkward feel to it, particularly as Allen is singing from the perspective of someone who’s kind of a wreck but is yearning for that sort of romance and suave self-assurance. I find myself rooting for her as she tries to convince this girl to come over and move from casual summer fling to proper coupledom, but also play it sorta cool. I mean, she’s not doing herself any favors by singing “I promise that I’ll clean my bathroom one of these days,” but I’m hoping for the best.

Buy it from Bandcamp.