Ratchet

Las Vegas newcomer Shamir works disco into a state of undress on his first full-length album. He isn't operating in the same romantic vein as, say, Sylvester, one obvious predecessor — just delivering a healthy dose of real talk, set to clean cuts of vintage Chicago house grooves. On "Vegas," the 20-year-old artist recounts the squalor of his hometown with lounge-like ease; for "On the Regular," he ramps up the drama with a string of sharp quips ("Don't try me, I'm not a free sample"). His bubbly verses stick like schoolyard chants, then melt into silky strands of cosmic soul on "Darker." And "Call It Off" is the ultimate springtime un-cuffing jam — a call to arms for jaded PYTs seeking greener pastures.